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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $894 per month in Kerak vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,348 per month in Kerak vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,803 per month in Kerak vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kerak is about 29% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kerak and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Kerak 33% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 JOD 2.01

$11.99 MX$210

-76.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 JOD 35.59

$41.78 MX$733

20.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 JOD 3.93

$10.75 MX$189

-48.37%

Cappuccino

$0.70 JOD 0.50

$3.50 MX$61.3

-80.00%

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

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$1.45 MX$25.41

-64.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 JOD 0.24

$0.88 MX$15.52

-62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 JOD 3.88

$2.95 MX$51.7

85.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.85 JOD 4.85

$4.51 MX$79.1

51.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 JOD 1.02

$1.43 MX$25.12

0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.34 JOD 0.24

$1.84 MX$32.23

-81.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 JOD 0.61

$1.57 MX$27.51

-45.22%

Eggs

$1.70 JOD 1.21

$2.51 MX$44.06

-32.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.61 JOD 4.68

$8.28 MX$145

-20.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.16 JOD 2.94

$8.43 MX$148

-50.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.34 JOD 8.03

$10.68 MX$187

6.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 JOD 0.98

$2.61 MX$45.76

-47.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 JOD 1.01

$1.44 MX$25.22

-1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 JOD 1.03

$1.96 MX$34.41

-26.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.41 JOD 0.29

$2.09 MX$36.74

-80.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 JOD 0.63

$1.85 MX$32.47

-52.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 JOD 0.51

$2.17 MX$38.02

-66.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 JOD 0.46

$1.03 MX$18.09

-36.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 JOD 0.44

$1.07 MX$18.84

-42.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 JOD 2.51

$4.10 MX$72.0

-13.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.38 JOD 15.14

$10.17 MX$178

110.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.78 JOD 3.38

$1.68 MX$29.38

184.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.38 JOD 3.81

$2.53 MX$44.31

112.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 JOD 0.49

$3.23 MX$56.7

-78.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 JOD 0.98

$2.41 MX$42.19

-42.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.99 JOD 4.95

$3.23 MX$56.6

116.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 JOD 0.99

$1.32 MX$23.17

6.06%

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

$26.6K JOD 18.8K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-10.36%

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

$32.7K JOD 23.2K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

38.28%

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

$105 JOD 74.3

$82.0 MX$1,439

27.92%

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

$17.10 JOD 12.10

$22.95 MX$403

-25.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.70 JOD 19.61

$30.11 MX$528

-8.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.61 JOD 29.45

$52.0 MX$912

-19.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 JOD 8.08

$4.98 MX$87.3

129.12%

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

$139 JOD 98.5

$197 MX$3,463

-29.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,397 JOD 2,405

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-36.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 JOD 43.55

$35.60 MX$624

72.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.8 JOD 40.19

$40.33 MX$707

40.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 JOD 81.9

$78.8 MX$1,381

46.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 JOD 57.3

$88.9 MX$1,560

-9.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$185 JOD 131

$947 MX$16.6K

-80.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$227 JOD 161

$474 MX$8,314

-52.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 JOD 200

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-82.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 JOD 234

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-72.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$211 JOD 149

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-94.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$282 JOD 200

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-95.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$517 JOD 366

$654 MX$11.5K

-20.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.27

11.42

-36.34%

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

Last update for Kerak: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $185 in Kerak versus $947 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.

Salaries run about 26% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Kerak versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $218 in Kerak vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Kerak 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 40%, 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 $1,341 per month in Kerak and $1,884 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 Kerak, 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 $50.0 in Kerak and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kerak, where all-in costs run around $894, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Kerak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kerak – 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 Kerak. 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.