🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $526 in Kish versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $815 in Kish versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,104 in Kish versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Living in Kish costs roughly 59% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Kish61% lower, Playa del Carmen4% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Kish
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.42$4.42
$11.94MX$209
-62.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$15.79$15.79
$42.75MX$748
-63.06%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.28$3.28
$10.59MX$185
-69.03%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.62$0.62
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00$1.00
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.12$1.12
$3.62MX$63.4
-69.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46$0.46
$1.47MX$25.69
-68.71%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.96$0.96
$0.94MX$16.51
2.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.09MX$54.1
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.46MX$78.0
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kish
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$0.55$0.55
$1.43MX$24.94
-61.54%
White Bread(500g)
$0.55$0.55
$1.88MX$32.97
-70.74%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.87$1.87
$1.63MX$28.50
14.72%
Eggs
$1.14$1.14
$2.64MX$46.26
-56.82%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$3.37$3.37
$8.21MX$144
-58.95%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.19$3.19
$8.29MX$145
-61.52%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.16$10.16
$11.10MX$194
-8.47%
Apples(1kg)
$0.84$0.84
$2.65MX$46.40
-68.30%
Banana(1kg)
$1.35$1.35
$1.50MX$26.26
-10.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.83$0.83
$1.99MX$34.79
-58.29%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.54$0.54
$2.08MX$36.33
-74.04%
Potato(1kg)
$0.52$0.52
$1.79MX$31.29
-70.95%
Onion(1kg)
$0.45$0.45
$2.18MX$38.09
-79.36%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.55$0.55
$1.08MX$18.84
-49.07%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.23$0.23
$1.04MX$18.15
-77.88%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$1.12$1.12
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.49$0.49
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41$1.41
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.26$2.26
$3.97MX$69.5
-43.07%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$10.20MX$179
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.73MX$30.22
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.50MX$43.71
-
🚌 Getting Around
Kish
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.20$0.20
$0.52MX$9.07
-61.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$10.10$10.10
$26.97MX$472
-62.55%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.34$0.34
$3.14MX$55.0
-89.17%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.29$0.29
$2.40MX$42.04
-87.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.97$1.97
$3.09MX$54.0
-36.25%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.79$0.79
$1.27MX$22.28
-37.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$72.7K$72.7K
$30.9KMX$540.4K
135.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$54.7K$54.7K
$23.3KMX$408.0K
134.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kish
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$15.96$15.96
$82.0MX$1,435
-80.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$2.06$2.06
$22.45MX$393
-90.82%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$5.65$5.65
$29.66MX$519
-80.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kish
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$16.09$16.09
$51.9MX$908
-68.98%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.67$12.67
$18.67MX$327
-32.14%
Cinema Ticket
$1.53$1.53
$4.97MX$87.0
-69.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kish
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$116$116
$198MX$3,462
-41.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,965$1,965
$5,273MX$92.3K
-62.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kish
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.18$22.18
$36.34MX$636
-38.97%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.01$25.01
$40.05MX$701
-37.55%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$112$112
$79.9MX$1,398
40.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.5$69.5
$88.9MX$1,555
-21.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kish
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$283$283
$963MX$16.9K
-70.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$197$197
$465MX$8,133
-57.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$638$638
$1,596MX$27.9K
-60.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$319$319
$1,209MX$21.2K
-73.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,194$1,194
$3,942MX$69.0K
-69.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$594$594
$6,448MX$112.8K
-90.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kish
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$412$412
$720MX$12.6K
-42.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
22.24
11.42
94.75%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Kish: April 26, 2026
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Kish and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Playa del Carmen pays 75% 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 Kish vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $105 vs $251 per month, with Kish cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado March 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Kish vs Playa del Carmen: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Kish and Playa del Carmen?
Kish and Playa del Carmen differ by about 145% in total monthly costs ($526 vs $1,287 including rent). Kish is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 75% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Kish and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $283 in Kish versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 138% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Kish – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $526 in Kish versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kish but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Kish the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Kish and Playa del Carmen?
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.
Where should expats move: Kish or Playa del Carmen?
Expats usually find Kish gentler on the wallet – expenses run 145% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.