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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $745 in Khemisset versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,164 in Khemisset versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,583 in Khemisset versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Khemisset costs roughly 43% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Khemisset 46% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.59 MAD 14.91

$11.96 MX$203

-86.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.45 MAD 352

$47.38 MX$804

-20.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 MAD 69.1

$11.75 MX$199

-37.36%

Cappuccino

$0.84 MAD 7.91

$4.12 MX$70.0

-79.61%

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

$0.81 MAD 7.62

$1.40 MX$23.74

-42.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 MAD 2.17

$0.91 MX$15.48

-74.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.27 MAD 58.9

$3.21 MX$54.4

95.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 MAD 49.86

$7.07 MX$120

-24.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 MAD 8.46

$1.68 MX$28.44

-46.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 MAD 4.36

$2.15 MX$36.48

-78.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 MAD 13.27

$1.77 MX$30.10

-20.34%

Eggs

$1.89 MAD 17.75

$2.82 MX$47.76

-32.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.61 MAD 99.7

$9.20 MX$156

15.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 MAD 67.0

$9.23 MX$157

-22.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.39 MAD 78.8

$12.64 MX$214

-33.62%

Apples (1kg)

$0.95 MAD 8.90

$2.95 MX$50.1

-67.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MAD 10.75

$1.58 MX$26.79

-27.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 MAD 7.22

$2.22 MX$37.70

-65.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.42 MAD 3.90

$2.36 MX$40.09

-82.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 MAD 6.24

$1.99 MX$33.81

-66.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 MAD 6.24

$1.98 MX$33.58

-66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 MAD 4.47

$1.24 MX$21.04

-61.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MAD 5.78

$1.21 MX$20.55

-48.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MAD 40.79

$4.60 MX$78.1

-5.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.52 MAD 89.5

$10.52 MX$178

-9.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.86 MAD 36.30

$1.69 MX$28.70

128.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 MAD 38.23

$2.77 MX$47.06

46.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MAD 5.22

$0.60 MX$10.22

-6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 MAD 182

$29.70 MX$504

-34.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 MAD 6.82

$5.24 MX$88.8

-86.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 MAD 8.31

$3.65 MX$61.9

-75.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.97 MAD 93.7

$5.78 MX$98.1

72.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MAD 14.59

$1.54 MX$26.09

0.65%

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

$35.4K MAD 332.4K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

55.13%

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

$30.4K MAD 285.7K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

17.80%

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

$36.71 MAD 345

$90.7 MX$1,538

-59.51%

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

$6.58 MAD 61.8

$25.19 MX$427

-73.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.34 MAD 379

$31.75 MX$539

27.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.40 MAD 126

$68.8 MX$1,167

-80.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.53 MAD 202

$29.37 MX$498

-26.69%

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 MAD 71.2

$4.86 MX$82.5

55.97%

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

$97.0 MAD 912

$226 MX$3,828

-57.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,417 MAD 60.3K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

53.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.07 MAD 348

$47.38 MX$804

-21.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 MAD 477

$43.45 MX$737

16.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MAD 951

$80.2 MX$1,361

26.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MAD 1,007

$91.4 MX$1,550

17.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 MAD 2,580

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-74.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 MAD 1,662

$409 MX$6,933

-56.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 MAD 4,477

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-75.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 MAD 2,645

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-78.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,256 MAD 11.8K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-68.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$870 MAD 8,173

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-87.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$400 MAD 3,758

$773 MX$13.1K

-48.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.67

11.45

-67.95%

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

Last update for Khemisset: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $275 in Khemisset and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 93% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $37.00 in Khemisset vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $278 per month, with Khemisset cheaper across the board.

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

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

Khemisset and Playa del Carmen differ by about 75% in total monthly costs ($745 vs $1,305 including rent). Khemisset is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 93% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $275 in Khemisset versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Khemisset – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $745 per month in Khemisset versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $745 in Khemisset versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Khemisset but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Khemisset the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Khemisset and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Khemisset gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.