Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaneohe, HI and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaneohe, HI and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,734 in Kaneohe, HI versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,073 in Kaneohe, HI versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,411 in Kaneohe, HI versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Kaneohe, HI is roughly 116% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kaneohe, HI is 100% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.19 $17.19

$11.60 MX$200

48.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.7 $76.7

$47.11 MX$811

62.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.70 $12.70

$11.88 MX$205

6.90%

Cappuccino

$5.35 $5.35

$3.98 MX$68.5

34.42%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.43 MX$24.57

31.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.82 MX$14.20

151.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.82 $6.82

$3.19 MX$54.9

113.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 $4.89

$6.79 MX$117

-27.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.68 MX$28.85

-40.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.20 MX$37.83

61.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.79 $6.79

$1.71 MX$29.41

297.08%

Eggs

$7.62 $7.62

$2.74 MX$47.20

178.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.31 $12.31

$9.58 MX$165

28.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.20 $11.20

$9.01 MX$155

24.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.53 $17.53

$12.81 MX$221

36.85%

Apples (1kg)

$8.06 $8.06

$2.89 MX$49.74

178.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.50 MX$25.78

9.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.83 $6.83

$2.15 MX$36.98

217.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.78 $9.78

$2.26 MX$38.91

332.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$1.98 MX$34.10

98.99%

Onion (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$1.99 MX$34.26

132.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.23 MX$21.25

144.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.20 MX$20.60

147.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.74 $8.74

$4.55 MX$78.3

92.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.97 $6.97

$10.37 MX$179

-32.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.62 MX$27.88

72.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 $5.66

$2.88 MX$49.60

96.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.60 MX$10.34

225.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.71 $40.71

$28.80 MX$496

41.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 $3.47

$5.39 MX$92.8

-35.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.73 MX$64.2

-29.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.38 $45.38

$5.77 MX$99.3

686.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.54 MX$26.45

-11.04%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.4K $34.4K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

52.47%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

2.71%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$253 $253

$91.4 MX$1,573

177.22%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$25.20 MX$434

178.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.5 $62.5

$31.24 MX$538

99.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.97 $41.97

$67.2 MX$1,157

-37.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$16.94 $16.94

$4.86 MX$83.7

248.56%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$910 $910

$224 MX$3,851

306.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.4K $27.4K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

547.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 $63.3

$47.10 MX$811

34.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 $46.95

$44.29 MX$763

6.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$80.1 MX$1,379

26.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$92.7 MX$1,596

18.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 $1,611

$1,063 MX$18.3K

51.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,315 $1,315

$390 MX$6,719

236.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$2,149 MX$37.0K

17.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,167 $2,167

$1,272 MX$21.9K

70.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,649 $2,649

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-33.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 $2,227

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-65.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,434 $4,434

$758 MX$13.1K

484.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

11.45

-51.97%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kaneohe, HI: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,611 in Kaneohe, HI and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kaneohe, HI pays 485% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $77.0 in Kaneohe, HI vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $483 vs $276 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Kaneohe, HI vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 116% lower than in Kaneohe, HI. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 485% higher in Kaneohe, HI, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,611 in Kaneohe, HI versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 75% higher in Kaneohe, HI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $77.0 in Kaneohe, HI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,734 in Kaneohe, HI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Kaneohe, HI. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,266 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kaneohe, HI and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 116% less than in Kaneohe, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.