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 $504 per month in Katunayaka vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $831 per month in Katunayaka vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,158 per month in Katunayaka vs $3,292 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 63% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.53 LKR 1,497

$11.60 MX$200

-60.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.97 LKR 8,588

$47.11 MX$811

-44.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 LKR 2,583

$11.88 MX$205

-34.26%

Cappuccino

$2.47 LKR 817

$3.98 MX$68.5

-37.94%

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

$0.74 LKR 244

$1.43 MX$24.57

-48.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 82.7

$0.82 MX$14.20

-69.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 754

$3.19 MX$54.9

-28.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 LKR 1,033

$6.79 MX$117

-54.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 LKR 517

$1.68 MX$28.85

-7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 173

$2.20 MX$37.83

-76.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 267

$1.71 MX$29.41

-52.63%

Eggs

$1.68 LKR 554

$2.74 MX$47.20

-38.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.22 LKR 4,372

$9.58 MX$165

38.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.02 LKR 1,659

$9.01 MX$155

-44.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.19 LKR 2,378

$12.81 MX$221

-43.87%

Apples (1kg)

$6.64 LKR 2,194

$2.89 MX$49.74

129.76%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 LKR 297

$1.50 MX$25.78

-40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 LKR 1,427

$2.15 MX$36.98

100.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 LKR 422

$2.26 MX$38.91

-43.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 336

$1.98 MX$34.10

-48.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 267

$1.99 MX$34.26

-59.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 LKR 293

$1.23 MX$21.25

-27.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 150

$1.20 MX$20.60

-62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.48 LKR 3,465

$4.55 MX$78.3

130.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.99 LKR 4,625

$10.37 MX$179

34.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 LKR 631

$1.62 MX$27.88

17.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 935

$2.88 MX$49.60

-1.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 127

$5.39 MX$92.8

-92.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 118

$3.73 MX$64.2

-90.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 292

$5.77 MX$99.3

-84.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 LKR 443

$1.54 MX$26.45

-12.99%

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

$30.5K LKR 10.1M

$22.5K MX$388.3K

35.26%

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

$43.1K LKR 14.3M

$26.1K MX$448.7K

65.48%

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

$56.1 LKR 18.5K

$91.4 MX$1,573

-38.63%

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

$4.22 LKR 1,397

$25.20 MX$434

-83.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.66 LKR 6,832

$31.24 MX$538

-33.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.48 LKR 1,482

$4.86 MX$83.7

-7.82%

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

$38.01 LKR 12.6K

$224 MX$3,851

-83.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,202 LKR 397.4K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

-71.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.74 LKR 6,527

$47.10 MX$811

-58.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.46 LKR 5,443

$44.29 MX$763

-62.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.6 LKR 26.3K

$80.1 MX$1,379

-0.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.72 LKR 14.1K

$92.7 MX$1,596

-53.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

11.45

10.83%

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

Last update for Katunayaka: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Katunayaka versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $276 – making Katunayaka the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 151%, 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 $756 per month in Katunayaka and $1,899 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 $504 in Katunayaka and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $38.01 per month in Katunayaka and $224 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 $504, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.