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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $966 in Kholmsk versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,479 in Kholmsk versus $2,130 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,993 in Kholmsk versus $2,999 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Kholmsk costs roughly 23% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kholmsk 28% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.57 ₽718

$11.67 MX$202

-17.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.48 ₽2,813

$41.88 MX$726

-10.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 ₽441

$10.40 MX$180

-43.56%

Cappuccino

$2.28 ₽171

$3.61 MX$62.6

-36.84%

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

$1.13 ₽84.7

$1.47 MX$25.45

-23.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₽35.96

$0.91 MX$15.80

-47.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 ₽106

$3.03 MX$52.6

-53.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 ₽195

$4.47 MX$77.4

-41.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 ₽83.3

$1.38 MX$23.83

-19.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 ₽52.1

$1.84 MX$31.93

-62.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 ₽108

$1.61 MX$27.82

-10.56%

Eggs

$2.19 ₽164

$2.57 MX$44.52

-14.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 ₽807

$8.49 MX$147

26.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 ₽363

$8.49 MX$147

-42.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.77 ₽658

$10.99 MX$190

-20.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ₽136

$2.73 MX$47.25

-33.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 ₽142

$1.50 MX$25.92

26.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 ₽144

$1.96 MX$33.93

-2.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 ₽207

$2.12 MX$36.70

30.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₽63.1

$1.86 MX$32.30

-54.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₽50.5

$2.17 MX$37.67

-69.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ₽101

$1.07 MX$18.59

25.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₽50.5

$1.05 MX$18.18

-36.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 ₽222

$4.19 MX$72.6

-29.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 ₽589

$10.28 MX$178

-23.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ₽77.2

$1.67 MX$28.87

-38.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ₽141

$2.49 MX$43.12

-24.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₽39.86

$0.54 MX$9.37

-1.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₽139

$3.10 MX$53.8

-40.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₽26.55

$2.46 MX$42.66

-85.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.26 ₽470

$3.24 MX$56.1

93.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 ₽55.3

$1.26 MX$21.83

-41.27%

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

$34.3K ₽2.6M

$30.2K MX$522.8K

13.83%

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

$35.1K ₽2.6M

$23.4K MX$406.3K

49.81%

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

$110 ₽8,246

$84.0 MX$1,456

30.84%

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

$6.03 ₽452

$22.21 MX$385

-72.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.02 ₽602

$29.65 MX$514

-72.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.90 ₽2,694

$52.6 MX$912

-31.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 ₽371

$4.95 MX$85.7

-0.20%

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

$318 ₽23.8K

$198 MX$3,438

60.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,051 ₽529.1K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

32.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 ₽5,338

$35.95 MX$623

97.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.95 ₽3,373

$40.06 MX$694

12.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₽8,644

$78.8 MX$1,365

46.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₽8,055

$86.5 MX$1,499

24.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 ₽33.0K

$977 MX$16.9K

-54.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ₽22.6K

$471 MX$8,158

-36.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₽58.2K

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-51.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 ₽38.2K

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-58.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$997 ₽74.8K

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-75.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,522 ₽114.2K

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-76.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$596 ₽44.7K

$714 MX$12.4K

-16.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.33

11.42

60.51%

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

Last update for Kholmsk: April 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Kholmsk and $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 20% 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 in Kholmsk vs $42 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $252 per month, with Kholmsk cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Kholmsk wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kholmsk the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 20% less. 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: $440 in Kholmsk versus $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $966 per month in Kholmsk versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $966 in Kholmsk versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kholmsk but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Kholmsk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kholmsk delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $966 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kholmsk hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Kholmsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.