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 $883 per month in Kerak vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Kerak vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,837 per month in Kerak vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kerak is about 32% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kerak and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Kerak 34% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.87 JOD 2.03

$11.73 MX$203

-75.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.03 JOD 34.70

$41.62 MX$720

17.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.49 JOD 3.89

$10.64 MX$184

-48.40%

Cappuccino

$0.73 JOD 0.52

$3.52 MX$60.9

-79.26%

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

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$1.51 MX$26.12

-66.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 JOD 0.26

$0.97 MX$16.84

-61.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 JOD 3.87

$2.95 MX$51.0

85.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 JOD 4.90

$4.45 MX$77.0

55.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 JOD 1.02

$1.38 MX$23.93

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.34 JOD 0.24

$1.89 MX$32.72

-82.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 JOD 0.59

$1.64 MX$28.32

-48.78%

Eggs

$1.72 JOD 1.22

$2.51 MX$43.34

-31.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.59 JOD 4.67

$8.34 MX$144

-20.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.20 JOD 2.97

$8.34 MX$144

-49.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.66 JOD 8.25

$10.73 MX$186

8.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 JOD 0.98

$2.60 MX$45.04

-46.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 JOD 1.01

$1.46 MX$25.20

-2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 JOD 0.99

$1.90 MX$32.87

-26.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 JOD 0.31

$2.08 MX$35.91

-79.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 JOD 0.62

$1.78 MX$30.71

-51.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 JOD 0.51

$2.19 MX$37.80

-67.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 JOD 0.44

$1.04 MX$17.99

-40.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 JOD 0.42

$1.08 MX$18.62

-44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 JOD 2.44

$4.08 MX$70.6

-15.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.05 JOD 14.90

$10.32 MX$178

103.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.62 JOD 3.27

$1.71 MX$29.61

170.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 JOD 3.85

$2.58 MX$44.54

110.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 JOD 0.53

$3.26 MX$56.4

-77.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 JOD 0.98

$2.49 MX$43.09

-44.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.01 JOD 4.96

$3.25 MX$56.2

115.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 JOD 0.98

$1.31 MX$22.61

6.11%

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

$27.5K JOD 19.4K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-9.27%

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

$31.8K JOD 22.5K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

35.68%

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

$105 JOD 74.0

$82.9 MX$1,433

26.21%

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

$17.02 JOD 12.04

$22.22 MX$384

-23.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 JOD 20.28

$29.34 MX$507

-2.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.00 JOD 30.43

$51.6 MX$893

-16.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 JOD 7.92

$5.07 MX$87.6

120.71%

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

$139 JOD 98.7

$201 MX$3,473

-30.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,405 JOD 2,410

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-34.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 JOD 43.18

$36.92 MX$639

65.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 JOD 40.47

$39.79 MX$688

43.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 JOD 79.6

$78.5 MX$1,357

43.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.7 JOD 57.9

$87.1 MX$1,506

-6.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 JOD 127

$973 MX$16.8K

-81.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 JOD 159

$468 MX$8,090

-52.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 JOD 196

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-83.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 JOD 231

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-73.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$211 JOD 149

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-94.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$282 JOD 200

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-95.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$513 JOD 363

$664 MX$11.5K

-22.68%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $180 in Kerak versus $973 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 29% 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 $49.00 in Kerak versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $217 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 47%, 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 $1,324 per month in Kerak and $1,945 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 $49.00 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 15% 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 $883, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.