🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,062 in Kivioli versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,674 in Kivioli versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,286 in Kivioli versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.
🌍Living in Kivioli costs roughly 15% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Kivioli21% lower, Playa del Carmen6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kivioli
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.35€15.18
$11.99MX$210
44.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.2€61.4
$41.78MX$733
68.00%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.95€8.71
$10.75MX$189
-7.44%
Cappuccino
$3.66€3.20
$3.50MX$61.3
4.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59€2.27
$1.45MX$25.41
78.62%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82€2.47
$0.88MX$15.52
220.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.28€4.62
$2.95MX$51.7
78.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.90€5.16
$4.51MX$79.1
30.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kivioli
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.25€1.10
$1.43MX$25.12
-12.59%
White Bread(500g)
$1.53€1.34
$1.84MX$32.23
-16.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.31€2.02
$1.57MX$27.51
47.13%
Eggs
$2.98€2.61
$2.51MX$44.06
18.73%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.22€10.69
$8.28MX$145
47.58%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.74€7.65
$8.43MX$148
3.68%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.13€9.74
$10.68MX$187
4.21%
Apples(1kg)
$1.93€1.68
$2.61MX$45.76
-26.05%
Banana(1kg)
$1.60€1.40
$1.44MX$25.22
11.11%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.47€2.16
$1.96MX$34.41
26.02%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.49€2.18
$2.09MX$36.74
19.14%
Potato(1kg)
$1.03€0.90
$1.85MX$32.47
-44.32%
Onion(1kg)
$1.11€0.97
$2.17MX$38.02
-48.85%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.06€1.81
$1.03MX$18.09
100.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05€0.92
$1.07MX$18.84
-1.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.36€5.56
$4.10MX$72.0
55.12%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.62€9.29
$10.17MX$178
4.42%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.02€1.77
$1.68MX$29.38
20.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11€1.85
$2.53MX$44.31
-16.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Kivioli
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.51MX$8.93
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$26.04MX$457
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.41€2.98
$3.23MX$56.7
5.57%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.70€0.61
$2.41MX$42.19
-70.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$20.00€17.50
$3.23MX$56.6
519.20%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.87€1.63
$1.32MX$23.17
41.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.5K€24.9K
$29.7KMX$520.9K
-4.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K€27.3K
$23.7KMX$415.0K
32.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kivioli
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$273€239
$82.0MX$1,439
232.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.47€19.66
$22.95MX$403
-2.09%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.45€31.89
$30.11MX$528
21.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kivioli
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$52.0MX$912
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.53MX$325
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.77€10.30
$4.98MX$87.3
136.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kivioli
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$116€101
$197MX$3,463
-41.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,172€7,150
$5,336MX$93.6K
53.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kivioli
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$119€104
$35.60MX$624
235.03%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.95€34.95
$40.33MX$707
-0.94%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$97.3€85.1
$78.8MX$1,381
23.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109€95.2
$88.9MX$1,560
22.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kivioli
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$947MX$16.6K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$474MX$8,314
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,644MX$28.8K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,211MX$21.2K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$4,056MX$71.1K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$6,470MX$113.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kivioli
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$654MX$11.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.3
11.42
-62.35%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Kivioli: July 12, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $70.0 in Kivioli vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $249 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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
Kivioli vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Kivioli and in Playa del Carmen?
Kivioli and Playa del Carmen differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,062 vs $1,256 including rent). Kivioli is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Kivioli compared to Playa del Carmen?
You'd need roughly $1,593 in Kivioli and $1,884 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.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more expensive overall: Kivioli or Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $1,062 per month in Kivioli versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,062 in Kivioli versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kivioli but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Kivioli the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Kivioli 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: Kivioli or Playa del Carmen?
Expats usually find Kivioli gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.