Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Chang and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Chang and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $987 per month in Koh Chang vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,778 per month in Koh Chang vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,569 per month in Koh Chang vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Koh Chang is about 22% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Koh Chang and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Koh Chang 27% 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

$36.67 ฿1,194

$42.90 MX$736

-14.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 ฿219

$10.65 MX$183

-36.81%

Cappuccino

$2.37 ฿77.3

$3.45 MX$59.2

-31.30%

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

$0.56 ฿18.09

$1.50 MX$25.81

-62.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.43

$0.95 MX$16.28

-69.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 ฿63.8

$3.03 MX$51.9

-35.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 ฿95.7

$4.61 MX$79.1

-36.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿66.1

$1.38 MX$23.61

47.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$1.85 MX$31.70

-10.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 ฿63.3

$1.61 MX$27.65

20.50%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿68.1

$2.59 MX$44.51

-19.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.57 ฿572

$8.26 MX$142

112.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 ฿110

$8.37 MX$144

-59.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 ฿393

$10.66 MX$183

13.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿94.4

$2.63 MX$45.12

10.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.92

$1.49 MX$25.53

0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 ฿69.8

$1.92 MX$32.94

11.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 ฿61.6

$2.09 MX$35.81

-9.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.57

$1.86 MX$31.88

-24.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.67

$2.26 MX$38.81

-40.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ฿27.98

$1.06 MX$18.23

-18.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ฿14.01

$1.09 MX$18.67

-60.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ฿130

$4.15 MX$71.2

-3.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.30 ฿564

$10.39 MX$178

66.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.72 MX$29.59

-7.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ฿79.6

$2.61 MX$44.85

-6.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ฿35.11

$0.54 MX$9.30

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 ฿82.4

$3.13 MX$53.7

-19.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ฿27.72

$2.51 MX$43.09

-66.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.25 ฿366

$3.15 MX$54.1

257.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ฿35.23

$1.27 MX$21.88

-14.96%

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

$22.0K ฿716.1K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-27.61%

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

$26.6K ฿866.9K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

12.95%

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

$116 ฿3,781

$83.0 MX$1,425

39.87%

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

$13.16 ฿429

$22.71 MX$390

-42.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.69 ฿576

$29.46 MX$506

-39.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ฿1,707

$51.0 MX$875

2.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.35 ฿467

$18.33 MX$315

-21.71%

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 ฿251

$4.93 MX$84.5

56.59%

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

$632 ฿20.6K

$197 MX$3,386

220.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K ฿466.1K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

171.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 ฿1,788

$36.90 MX$633

48.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.24 ฿1,083

$39.89 MX$685

-16.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 ฿3,488

$80.0 MX$1,373

33.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 ฿2,571

$89.5 MX$1,536

-11.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 ฿12.8K

$956 MX$16.4K

-58.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,364

$477 MX$8,189

-39.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 ฿44.2K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-17.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$986 ฿32.1K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-19.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,409 ฿78.5K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-38.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,705 ฿55.5K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-73.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.42

-53.33%

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

Last update for Koh Chang: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $393 in Koh Chang versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Koh Chang versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $263 in Koh Chang vs $250 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $987 in Koh Chang, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 29% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,480 per month in Koh Chang and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Koh Chang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $987 in Koh Chang and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $632 per month in Koh Chang and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Koh Chang, where all-in costs run around $987, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Koh Chang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $987 in Koh Chang to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Koh Chang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.