Cost of Living Comparison Between Khlong Luang and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Khlong Luang and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $907 in Khlong Luang versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,477 in Khlong Luang versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,047 in Khlong Luang versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Khlong Luang costs roughly 28% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Khlong Luang 32% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 ฿120

$11.72 MX$203

-69.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.04 ฿1,036

$41.89 MX$725

-25.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 ฿299

$10.51 MX$182

-14.84%

Cappuccino

$2.16 ฿72.1

$3.59 MX$62.0

-39.83%

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

$0.85 ฿28.40

$1.51 MX$26.10

-43.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.48

$0.92 MX$15.83

-59.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.3

$2.96 MX$51.2

-18.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 ฿79.9

$4.41 MX$76.3

-45.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ฿58.4

$1.40 MX$24.16

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 ฿44.91

$1.88 MX$32.60

-28.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.92

$1.56 MX$26.97

-15.38%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$2.61 MX$45.14

-13.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.77 ฿526

$8.32 MX$144

89.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 ฿114

$8.35 MX$145

-59.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.31 ฿377

$10.86 MX$188

4.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿109

$2.71 MX$46.93

21.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.11

$1.51 MX$26.04

-14.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ฿65.9

$1.87 MX$32.41

5.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.25

$2.19 MX$37.89

-33.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.73

$1.86 MX$32.14

-21.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.19

$2.23 MX$38.59

-47.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 ฿54.2

$1.07 MX$18.48

51.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.79

$1.09 MX$18.79

-48.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.71 ฿157

$4.19 MX$72.4

12.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.58 ฿587

$10.43 MX$180

68.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.2

$1.66 MX$28.68

6.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ฿77.2

$2.61 MX$45.19

-11.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ฿31.85

$0.54 MX$9.37

75.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ฿47.44

$3.08 MX$53.3

-53.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿43.47

$2.40 MX$41.61

-45.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 ฿114

$3.13 MX$54.1

8.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.97

$1.31 MX$22.69

3.05%

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

$26.5K ฿882.8K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-11.21%

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

$27.4K ฿915.6K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

17.69%

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

$79.7 ฿2,660

$81.3 MX$1,406

-1.92%

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

$13.60 ฿454

$22.56 MX$390

-39.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿624

$30.05 MX$520

-37.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.88 ฿1,631

$52.9 MX$915

-7.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.42 ฿414

$18.39 MX$318

-32.46%

Cinema Ticket

$7.66 ฿256

$4.92 MX$85.1

55.69%

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

$288 ฿9,598

$201 MX$3,474

43.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,203 ฿307.0K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

77.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.49 ฿1,017

$35.92 MX$622

-15.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.53 ฿651

$40.13 MX$694

-51.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ฿3,383

$79.7 MX$1,379

27.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.54 ฿1,486

$86.5 MX$1,496

-48.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 ฿14.1K

$978 MX$16.9K

-56.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 ฿9,477

$470 MX$8,140

-39.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.7K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-51.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 ฿22.3K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-44.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-48.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,364 ฿45.5K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-79.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

11.42

-52.28%

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

Last update for Khlong Luang: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $422 in Khlong Luang and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Khlong Luang vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $252 per month, with Khlong Luang 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

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

Khlong Luang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,361 in Khlong Luang and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $422 in Khlong Luang versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $907 per month in Khlong Luang versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $907 in Khlong Luang versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Khlong Luang but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Khlong Luang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Khlong Luang is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Khlong Luang 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 Khlong Luang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.