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 $517 per month in Katunayaka vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $844 per month in Katunayaka vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,171 per month in Katunayaka vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Katunayaka is about 60% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Katunayaka and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Katunayaka 61% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.03 LKR 1,286

$11.94 MX$209

-66.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.50 LKR 8,132

$42.75 MX$748

-40.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 LKR 2,617

$10.59 MX$185

-22.57%

Cappuccino

$2.76 LKR 880

$3.62 MX$63.4

-23.76%

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

$0.69 LKR 221

$1.47 MX$25.69

-53.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 128

$0.94 MX$16.51

-57.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 724

$3.09 MX$54.1

-26.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 LKR 1,095

$4.46 MX$78.0

-23.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 LKR 558

$1.43 MX$24.94

22.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 177

$1.88 MX$32.97

-70.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 276

$1.63 MX$28.50

-47.24%

Eggs

$2.19 LKR 698

$2.64 MX$46.26

-17.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.32 LKR 4,567

$8.21 MX$144

74.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.79 LKR 1,526

$8.29 MX$145

-42.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.83 LKR 2,497

$11.10 MX$194

-29.46%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 LKR 2,443

$2.65 MX$46.40

189.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 355

$1.50 MX$26.26

-26.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.76 LKR 1,838

$1.99 MX$34.79

189.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 382

$2.08 MX$36.33

-42.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 354

$1.79 MX$31.29

-37.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 LKR 447

$2.18 MX$38.09

-35.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 369

$1.08 MX$18.84

7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 179

$1.04 MX$18.15

-46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.17 LKR 3,244

$3.97 MX$69.5

156.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.49 LKR 3,985

$10.20 MX$179

22.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 LKR 667

$1.73 MX$30.22

20.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 LKR 904

$2.50 MX$43.71

13.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 133

$3.14 MX$55.0

-86.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 105

$2.40 MX$42.04

-86.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 192

$3.09 MX$54.0

-80.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 383

$1.27 MX$22.28

-5.51%

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

$27.0K LKR 8.6M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-12.56%

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

$34.3K LKR 11.0M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

47.29%

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

$60.5 LKR 19.3K

$82.0 MX$1,435

-26.23%

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

$4.40 LKR 1,403

$22.45 MX$393

-80.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.89 LKR 4,750

$29.66 MX$519

-49.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$3.27 LKR 1,044

$4.97 MX$87.0

-34.21%

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

$36.58 LKR 11.7K

$198 MX$3,462

-81.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$447 LKR 142.7K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-91.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.72 LKR 8,839

$36.34 MX$636

-23.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.13 LKR 6,100

$40.05 MX$701

-52.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 LKR 22.2K

$79.9 MX$1,398

-13.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.20 LKR 12.2K

$88.9 MX$1,555

-57.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Katunayaka versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Katunayaka vs $251 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 149%, 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 $776 per month in Katunayaka and $1,930 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 $517 in Katunayaka and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $36.58 per month in Katunayaka and $198 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 $517, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.