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: $739 in Khemisset versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,102 in Khemisset versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,465 in Khemisset versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Khemisset costs roughly 41% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Khemisset 44% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 MAD 18.36

$11.72 MX$204

-83.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.34 MAD 153

$41.89 MX$731

-60.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 MAD 66.1

$10.51 MX$183

-33.02%

Cappuccino

$0.90 MAD 8.47

$3.59 MX$62.5

-74.93%

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

$0.39 MAD 3.68

$1.51 MX$26.31

-74.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 MAD 2.17

$0.92 MX$15.96

-75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 MAD 35.19

$2.96 MX$51.6

26.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 MAD 31.04

$4.41 MX$76.9

-24.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.58 MAD 5.47

$1.40 MX$24.35

-58.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 MAD 3.68

$1.88 MX$32.87

-79.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MAD 13.73

$1.56 MX$27.19

-6.41%

Eggs

$1.99 MAD 18.64

$2.61 MX$45.50

-23.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.26 MAD 96.3

$8.32 MX$145

23.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.99 MAD 65.6

$8.35 MX$146

-16.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.99 MAD 84.4

$10.86 MX$189

-17.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MAD 9.54

$2.71 MX$47.31

-62.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 MAD 8.12

$1.51 MX$26.25

-42.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.64 MAD 5.99

$1.87 MX$32.67

-65.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.45 MAD 4.25

$2.19 MX$38.19

-79.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 MAD 6.46

$1.86 MX$32.40

-62.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 MAD 5.94

$2.23 MX$38.90

-71.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 MAD 5.09

$1.07 MX$18.63

-49.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MAD 5.80

$1.09 MX$18.94

-43.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MAD 40.45

$4.19 MX$73.0

2.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.77 MAD 91.7

$10.43 MX$182

-6.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 MAD 30.52

$1.66 MX$28.91

95.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MAD 31.78

$2.61 MX$45.56

29.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 MAD 4.38

$0.54 MX$9.45

-12.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.14 MAD 151

$26.16 MX$456

-38.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 MAD 5.35

$3.08 MX$53.7

-81.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MAD 4.87

$2.40 MX$41.94

-78.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 MAD 41.97

$3.13 MX$54.5

42.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 MAD 14.59

$1.31 MX$22.87

19.08%

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

$36.9K MAD 346.0K

$29.8K MX$519.9K

23.71%

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

$23.8K MAD 223.4K

$23.3K MX$406.8K

2.06%

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

$84.7 MAD 794

$81.3 MX$1,418

4.15%

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

$6.41 MAD 60.2

$22.56 MX$393

-71.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.88 MAD 374

$30.05 MX$524

32.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.46 MAD 126

$52.9 MX$923

-74.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.77 MAD 214

$18.39 MX$321

23.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.24 MAD 68.0

$4.92 MX$85.8

47.15%

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

$97.8 MAD 918

$201 MX$3,502

-51.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,433 MAD 60.4K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

24.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.64 MAD 287

$35.92 MX$627

-14.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.95 MAD 431

$40.13 MX$700

14.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 MAD 835

$79.7 MX$1,390

11.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 MAD 773

$86.5 MX$1,508

-4.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 MAD 2,594

$978 MX$17.1K

-71.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 MAD 1,609

$470 MX$8,206

-63.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$502 MAD 4,711

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-69.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 MAD 2,821

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-75.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,110 MAD 10.4K

$3,953 MX$69.0K

-71.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$895 MAD 8,396

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-86.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$397 MAD 3,728

$677 MX$11.8K

-41.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.35

11.42

-61.91%

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

Last update for Khemisset: July 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $276 in Khemisset and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 70% 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: $16.00 in Khemisset vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $252 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 71% in total monthly costs ($739 vs $1,260 including rent). Khemisset is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 70% 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: $276 in Khemisset versus $978 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 $16.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $739 per month in Khemisset versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $739 in Khemisset versus $1,260 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 71% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.