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: $917 in Khlong Luang versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,493 in Khlong Luang versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,068 in Khlong Luang versus $2,980 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

$3.65 ฿119

$11.87 MX$204

-69.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.15 ฿1,014

$42.90 MX$736

-27.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.05 ฿295

$10.65 MX$183

-15.02%

Cappuccino

$2.18 ฿71.0

$3.45 MX$59.2

-36.81%

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

$0.80 ฿26.10

$1.50 MX$25.81

-46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.12

$0.95 MX$16.28

-61.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿80.6

$3.03 MX$51.9

-18.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ฿81.5

$4.61 MX$79.1

-45.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿56.4

$1.38 MX$23.61

25.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿45.93

$1.85 MX$31.70

-23.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿42.63

$1.61 MX$27.65

-18.63%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿74.2

$2.59 MX$44.51

-11.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.81 ฿515

$8.26 MX$142

91.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.36 ฿110

$8.37 MX$144

-59.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 ฿362

$10.66 MX$183

4.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 ฿108

$2.63 MX$45.12

26.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.44

$1.49 MX$25.53

-10.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ฿61.8

$1.92 MX$32.94

-1.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿45.18

$2.09 MX$35.81

-33.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿47.41

$1.86 MX$31.88

-21.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$2.26 MX$38.81

-48.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ฿55.2

$1.06 MX$18.23

59.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.10

$1.09 MX$18.67

-51.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.66 ฿152

$4.15 MX$71.2

12.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.64 ฿542

$10.39 MX$178

60.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿56.8

$1.72 MX$29.59

1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 ฿77.8

$2.61 MX$44.85

-8.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.42

$0.54 MX$9.30

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ฿46.26

$3.13 MX$53.7

-54.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 ฿44.24

$2.51 MX$43.09

-45.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 ฿112

$3.15 MX$54.1

8.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.54

$1.27 MX$21.88

0.79%

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

$25.8K ฿839.1K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-15.18%

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

$27.1K ฿883.8K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

15.14%

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

$77.6 ฿2,529

$83.0 MX$1,425

-6.47%

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

$13.61 ฿443

$22.71 MX$390

-40.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.82 ฿613

$29.46 MX$506

-36.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.45 ฿1,611

$51.0 MX$875

-3.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.09 ฿394

$18.33 MX$315

-34.04%

Cinema Ticket

$7.59 ฿247

$4.93 MX$84.5

53.96%

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

$287 ฿9,359

$197 MX$3,386

45.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,160 ฿298.4K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

73.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.28 ฿986

$36.90 MX$633

-17.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.08 ฿654

$39.89 MX$685

-49.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ฿3,287

$80.0 MX$1,373

26.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.63 ฿1,421

$89.5 MX$1,536

-51.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$956 MX$16.4K

-55.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,348

$477 MX$8,189

-39.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$810 ฿26.4K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-50.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿21.4K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-46.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,978 ฿64.4K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-49.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.1K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-77.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Khlong Luang and $956 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 for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $250 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 $1,375 in Khlong Luang and $1,906 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: $430 in Khlong Luang versus $956 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 $917 per month in Khlong Luang versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $917 in Khlong Luang versus $1,271 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.