Cost of Living Comparison Between Kanglung and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Kanglung and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $102 in Kanglung versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $172 in Kanglung versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $242 in Kanglung versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Kanglung costs roughly 92% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kanglung 93% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$199

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$791

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$198

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.5

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

$1.37 MX$23.34

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.16

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.33

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 BTN 40.76

$2.26 MX$38.39

-78.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.05

Eggs

$1.19 BTN 100

$2.73 MX$46.41

-56.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.15 BTN 182

$9.18 MX$156

-76.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.16 BTN 183

$8.92 MX$151

-75.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.24 BTN 189

$12.60 MX$214

-82.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BTN 181

$3.02 MX$51.3

-28.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 BTN 188

$1.57 MX$26.68

41.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 BTN 191

$2.13 MX$36.10

6.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 BTN 184

$2.26 MX$38.46

-3.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.04

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.06

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 BTN 83.1

$1.18 MX$20.04

-16.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 BTN 85.3

$1.20 MX$20.45

-15.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.7

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$182

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 BTN 120

$1.62 MX$27.50

-12.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 BTN 85.8

$2.88 MX$48.93

-64.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$102

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.38

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

$22.3K MX$379.2K

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

$25.9K MX$440.7K

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

$89.1 MX$1,514

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

$25.04 MX$425

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$535

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,151

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.8

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

$225 MX$3,820

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$806

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,392

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,564

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,884

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Kanglung: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

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

Kanglung vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kanglung and Playa del Carmen differ by about 1174% in total monthly costs ($102 vs $1,293 including rent). Kanglung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $152 in Kanglung and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 169% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $102 per month in Kanglung versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 1174% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $102 in Kanglung versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kanglung but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Kanglung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Kanglung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1174% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.