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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $534 per month in Katunayaka vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $861 per month in Katunayaka vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,187 per month in Katunayaka vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Katunayaka is about 58% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Katunayaka and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Katunayaka 60% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.12 LKR 1,382

$11.72 MX$203

-64.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.47 LKR 8,540

$41.89 MX$726

-39.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 LKR 2,814

$10.51 MX$182

-20.17%

Cappuccino

$2.65 LKR 890

$3.59 MX$62.1

-26.18%

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

$0.68 LKR 229

$1.51 MX$26.13

-54.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 125

$0.92 MX$15.86

-59.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 LKR 767

$2.96 MX$51.2

-22.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 LKR 1,114

$4.41 MX$76.4

-24.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 572

$1.40 MX$24.19

21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 173

$1.88 MX$32.65

-72.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 269

$1.56 MX$27.01

-48.72%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 718

$2.61 MX$45.20

-18.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.03 LKR 4,705

$8.32 MX$144

68.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 LKR 1,588

$8.35 MX$145

-43.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 LKR 2,638

$10.86 MX$188

-27.53%

Apples (1kg)

$7.47 LKR 2,504

$2.71 MX$47.00

175.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 370

$1.51 MX$26.08

-27.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.74 LKR 1,925

$1.87 MX$32.46

206.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 418

$2.19 MX$37.94

-42.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 LKR 385

$1.86 MX$32.18

-38.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 475

$2.23 MX$38.64

-36.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 398

$1.07 MX$18.51

11.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 200

$1.09 MX$18.82

-44.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 LKR 3,344

$4.19 MX$72.5

137.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.74 LKR 4,273

$10.43 MX$181

22.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 LKR 682

$1.66 MX$28.72

22.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 LKR 980

$2.61 MX$45.26

11.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.39

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$3.08 MX$53.3

-87.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 119

$2.40 MX$41.66

-85.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 191

$3.13 MX$54.2

-81.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 423

$1.31 MX$22.72

-3.82%

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

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

$29.8K MX$516.4K

-9.19%

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

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

$23.3K MX$404.1K

50.17%

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

$60.1 LKR 20.2K

$81.3 MX$1,408

-26.03%

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

$4.25 LKR 1,427

$22.56 MX$391

-81.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.86 LKR 4,983

$30.05 MX$521

-50.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$917

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

Cinema Ticket

$3.27 LKR 1,096

$4.92 MX$85.2

-33.54%

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

$37.44 LKR 12.6K

$201 MX$3,479

-81.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$448 LKR 150.1K

$5,175 MX$89.7K

-91.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.75 LKR 9,304

$35.92 MX$622

-22.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.66 LKR 6,593

$40.13 MX$695

-51.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 LKR 23.6K

$79.7 MX$1,381

-11.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.11 LKR 12.8K

$86.5 MX$1,498

-55.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,152

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

11.42

44.05%

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

Last update for Katunayaka: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Katunayaka versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $256 in Katunayaka vs $252 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 136%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $801 per month in Katunayaka and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $534 in Katunayaka and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $37.44 per month in Katunayaka and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Katunayaka, where all-in costs run around $534, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Katunayaka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Katunayaka – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Katunayaka. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.