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 $537 per month in Katunayaka vs $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $864 per month in Katunayaka vs $2,189 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,191 per month in Katunayaka vs $3,084 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 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.03 LKR 1,343

$11.73 MX$202

-65.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.53 LKR 8,502

$41.78 MX$719

-38.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 LKR 2,826

$10.41 MX$179

-18.44%

Cappuccino

$2.73 LKR 909

$3.61 MX$62.1

-24.38%

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

$0.70 LKR 232

$1.46 MX$25.06

-52.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 135

$0.97 MX$16.70

-58.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 LKR 785

$2.92 MX$50.3

-19.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 LKR 1,111

$4.62 MX$79.5

-27.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 LKR 590

$1.43 MX$24.59

23.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 172

$1.90 MX$32.70

-72.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 274

$1.57 MX$26.95

-47.77%

Eggs

$2.16 LKR 718

$2.64 MX$45.34

-18.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.27 LKR 4,753

$8.44 MX$145

69.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.53 LKR 1,509

$8.58 MX$148

-47.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.25 LKR 2,747

$11.00 MX$189

-25.00%

Apples (1kg)

$7.56 LKR 2,518

$2.70 MX$46.51

180.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 366

$1.51 MX$25.92

-27.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.63 LKR 1,873

$1.91 MX$32.93

194.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 401

$2.17 MX$37.37

-44.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 372

$1.87 MX$32.25

-40.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 LKR 467

$2.23 MX$38.43

-37.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 393

$1.08 MX$18.60

9.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 199

$1.07 MX$18.47

-43.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.96 LKR 3,317

$4.16 MX$71.6

139.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.91 LKR 4,300

$10.29 MX$177

25.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 LKR 697

$1.68 MX$28.95

24.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 988

$2.53 MX$43.59

17.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 129

$3.20 MX$55.0

-87.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 118

$2.46 MX$42.37

-85.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 206

$3.20 MX$55.0

-80.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 419

$1.32 MX$22.72

-4.55%

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

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

$30.2K MX$518.8K

-11.08%

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

$34.9K LKR 11.6M

$23.4K MX$402.5K

49.32%

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

$60.5 LKR 20.1K

$81.4 MX$1,400

-25.67%

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

$4.42 LKR 1,470

$22.41 MX$386

-80.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.26 LKR 5,080

$29.97 MX$516

-49.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$3.26 LKR 1,085

$5.16 MX$88.9

-36.82%

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

$36.93 LKR 12.3K

$202 MX$3,471

-81.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$437 LKR 145.4K

$5,311 MX$91.4K

-91.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.13 LKR 9,036

$35.61 MX$613

-23.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.24 LKR 6,408

$40.37 MX$695

-52.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 LKR 23.2K

$78.6 MX$1,353

-11.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.39 LKR 13.1K

$86.9 MX$1,495

-54.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Katunayaka versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Katunayaka vs $254 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 141%, 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 $806 per month in Katunayaka and $1,941 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 $537 in Katunayaka and $1,294 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $36.93 per month in Katunayaka and $202 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 $537, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.