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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $954 per month in Kemaman vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,407 per month in Kemaman vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,860 per month in Kemaman vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kemaman is about 26% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kemaman and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Kemaman 29% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.62 MYR 10.35

$11.94 MX$209

-78.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.31 MYR 56.5

$42.75 MX$748

-66.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.83 MYR 15.14

$10.59 MX$185

-63.83%

Cappuccino

$2.31 MYR 9.12

$3.62 MX$63.4

-36.19%

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

$0.49 MYR 1.92

$1.47 MX$25.69

-66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.44

$0.94 MX$16.51

-61.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.17 MYR 16.49

$3.09 MX$54.1

34.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.32 MYR 21.01

$4.46 MX$78.0

19.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.53

$1.43 MX$24.94

33.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.00

$1.88 MX$32.97

-46.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 MYR 3.86

$1.63 MX$28.50

-39.88%

Eggs

$1.11 MYR 4.38

$2.64 MX$46.26

-57.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.41 MYR 56.9

$8.21 MX$144

75.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 MYR 14.60

$8.29 MX$145

-55.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.41 MYR 37.17

$11.10 MX$194

-15.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 MYR 15.23

$2.65 MX$46.40

45.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.74

$1.50 MX$26.26

14.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 MYR 13.50

$1.99 MX$34.79

71.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 MYR 10.09

$2.08 MX$36.33

22.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 6.97

$1.79 MX$31.29

-1.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.07

$2.18 MX$38.09

-52.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 MYR 4.45

$1.08 MX$18.84

4.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$1.04 MX$18.15

-55.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.18

$3.97 MX$69.5

9.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.31 MYR 80.2

$10.20 MX$179

99.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 MYR 16.68

$1.73 MX$30.22

143.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.39 MYR 21.29

$2.50 MX$43.71

115.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.76

$0.52 MX$9.07

34.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 MYR 45.68

$26.97 MX$472

-57.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.77

$3.14 MX$55.0

-61.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.37

$2.40 MX$42.04

-53.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 MYR 16.76

$3.09 MX$54.0

37.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.96

$1.27 MX$22.28

-60.63%

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

$43.8K MYR 172.8K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

41.68%

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

$31.7K MYR 125.1K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

35.84%

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

$73.1 MYR 289

$82.0 MX$1,435

-10.91%

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

$9.97 MYR 39.38

$22.45 MX$393

-55.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.42 MYR 112

$29.66 MX$519

-4.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.18 MYR 147

$51.9 MX$908

-28.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.03 MYR 23.83

$18.67 MX$327

-67.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.61 MYR 22.16

$4.97 MX$87.0

12.88%

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

$116 MYR 456

$198 MX$3,462

-41.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,396 MYR 17.4K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-16.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 MYR 438

$36.34 MX$636

205.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.36 MYR 108

$40.05 MX$701

-31.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MYR 293

$79.9 MX$1,398

-7.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 MYR 314

$88.9 MX$1,555

-10.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 MYR 1,551

$963 MX$16.9K

-59.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,073

$465 MX$8,133

-41.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 MYR 2,583

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-59.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,861

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-61.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,799 MYR 7,107

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-54.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$881 MYR 3,481

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-86.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

11.42

-65.32%

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

Last update for Kemaman: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $393 in Kemaman versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Kemaman versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $273 in Kemaman 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 35%, 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 $1,431 per month in Kemaman and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kemaman, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Kemaman and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $954 in Kemaman and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kemaman, where all-in costs run around $954, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Kemaman it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kemaman. 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.