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: $931 in Khlong Luang versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,486 in Khlong Luang versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,041 in Khlong Luang versus $3,082 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 31% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 ฿118

$11.94 MX$209

-69.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.52 ฿998

$42.75 MX$748

-28.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 ฿307

$10.59 MX$185

-11.33%

Cappuccino

$2.09 ฿68.2

$3.62 MX$63.4

-42.27%

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

$0.80 ฿26.27

$1.47 MX$25.69

-45.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

$0.94 MX$16.51

-62.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 ฿81.6

$3.09 MX$54.1

-19.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 ฿82.0

$4.46 MX$78.0

-43.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ฿57.5

$1.43 MX$24.94

23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿45.87

$1.88 MX$32.97

-25.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ฿41.29

$1.63 MX$28.50

-22.70%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿77.6

$2.64 MX$46.26

-10.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.48 ฿506

$8.21 MX$144

88.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 ฿112

$8.29 MX$145

-58.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.41 ฿373

$11.10 MX$194

2.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 ฿110

$2.65 MX$46.40

27.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.54

$1.50 MX$26.26

-11.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 ฿62.4

$1.99 MX$34.79

-4.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿47.76

$2.08 MX$36.33

-29.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.79 MX$31.29

-17.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.84

$2.18 MX$38.09

-44.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.08 MX$18.84

50.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.42

$1.04 MX$18.15

-49.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 ฿148

$3.97 MX$69.5

13.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.27 ฿597

$10.20 MX$179

79.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ฿59.2

$1.73 MX$30.22

4.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ฿74.8

$2.50 MX$43.71

-8.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ฿31.12

$0.52 MX$9.07

82.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ฿46.50

$3.14 MX$55.0

-54.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿42.44

$2.40 MX$42.04

-45.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 ฿113

$3.09 MX$54.0

12.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ฿43.38

$1.27 MX$22.28

4.72%

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

$26.6K ฿871.1K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-13.74%

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

$26.7K ฿874.2K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

14.66%

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

$79.8 ฿2,609

$82.0 MX$1,435

-2.69%

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

$13.95 ฿456

$22.45 MX$393

-37.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 ฿614

$29.66 MX$519

-36.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.76 ฿1,595

$51.9 MX$908

-6.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.39 ฿405

$18.67 MX$327

-33.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.54 ฿247

$4.97 MX$87.0

51.71%

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

$298 ฿9,729

$198 MX$3,462

50.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,374 ฿306.5K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

77.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.16 ฿986

$36.34 MX$636

-17.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.02 ฿655

$40.05 MX$701

-50.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ฿3,307

$79.9 MX$1,398

26.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.47 ฿1,454

$88.9 MX$1,555

-49.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$417 ฿13.6K

$963 MX$16.9K

-56.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 ฿9,338

$465 MX$8,133

-38.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$808 ฿26.4K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-49.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 ฿21.2K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-46.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,458 ฿80.4K

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-37.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,640 ฿53.6K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-74.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $417 in Khlong Luang and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Khlong Luang vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $254 vs $251, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,396 in Khlong Luang and $1,930 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: $417 in Khlong Luang versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $931 per month in Khlong Luang versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $931 in Khlong Luang versus $1,287 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 38% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.