đMonthly costs for one person with rent: $2,211 in Kongens Lyngby versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.
đEstimated couple costs with rent: $3,837 in Kongens Lyngby versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.
đMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,462 in Kongens Lyngby versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.
đLiving in Kongens Lyngby is roughly 72% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.
đThe two cities straddle the global median: Kongens Lyngby is 65% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.
Currency
đ˝ Eating Out
Kongens Lyngby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.61DKKÂ 151
$11.94MX$208
97.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$119DKKÂ 756
$42.75MX$744
177.31%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$14.11DKKÂ 90.0
$10.59MX$184
33.24%
Cappuccino
$7.08DKKÂ 45.20
$3.62MX$63.0
95.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.62DKKÂ 29.46
$1.47MX$25.54
214.29%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.29DKKÂ 21.02
$0.94MX$16.41
250.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$9.11DKKÂ 58.1
$3.09MX$53.8
194.82%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$8.78DKKÂ 56.0
$4.46MX$77.6
96.86%
đ Groceries & Markets
Kongens Lyngby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.12DKKÂ 13.55
$1.43MX$24.80
48.25%
White Bread(500g)
$3.18DKKÂ 20.26
$1.88MX$32.79
69.15%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.60DKKÂ 16.56
$1.63MX$28.34
59.51%
Eggs
$5.71DKKÂ 36.40
$2.64MX$45.99
116.29%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.54DKKÂ 99.2
$8.21MX$143
89.28%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.20DKKÂ 77.8
$8.29MX$144
47.17%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.83DKKÂ 107
$11.10MX$193
51.62%
Apples(1kg)
$2.99DKKÂ 19.05
$2.65MX$46.14
12.83%
Banana(1kg)
$3.18DKKÂ 20.30
$1.50MX$26.11
112.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.68DKKÂ 23.45
$1.99MX$34.59
84.92%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.89DKKÂ 37.60
$2.08MX$36.13
183.17%
Potato(1kg)
$2.55DKKÂ 16.26
$1.79MX$31.11
42.46%
Onion(1kg)
$2.14DKKÂ 13.66
$2.18MX$37.87
-1.83%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.42DKKÂ 15.44
$1.08MX$18.73
124.07%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.29DKKÂ 8.25
$1.04MX$18.04
24.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.96DKKÂ 63.5
$3.97MX$69.1
150.88%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.82DKKÂ 75.4
$10.20MX$178
15.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.93DKKÂ 12.31
$1.73MX$30.04
11.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47DKKÂ 15.78
$2.50MX$43.46
-1.20%
đ Getting Around
Kongens Lyngby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.92DKKÂ 31.42
$0.52MX$9.02
846.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$94.9DKKÂ 605
$26.97MX$469
251.84%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$7.96DKKÂ 50.8
$3.14MX$54.7
153.50%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.14DKKÂ 13.67
$2.40MX$41.80
-10.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$62.4DKKÂ 398
$3.09MX$53.7
1920.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.29DKKÂ 14.61
$1.27MX$22.16
80.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.7KDKKÂ 323.2K
$30.9KMX$537.3K
64.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$52.2KDKKÂ 333.1K
$23.3KMX$405.7K
123.94%
đ§ž Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kongens Lyngby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$211DKKÂ 1,345
$82.0MX$1,427
157.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.15DKKÂ 129
$22.45MX$391
-10.24%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.06DKKÂ 275
$29.66MX$516
45.18%
đ Sport & Entertainment
Kongens Lyngby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.27DKKÂ 270
$51.9MX$903
-18.51%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.63DKKÂ 189
$18.67MX$325
58.70%
Cinema Ticket
$20.10DKKÂ 128
$4.97MX$86.5
304.43%
𧸠Childcare & Education
Kongens Lyngby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$597DKKÂ 3,810
$198MX$3,442
201.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,396DKKÂ 40.8K
$5,273MX$91.7K
21.30%
đđ Clothing & Footwear
Kongens Lyngby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105DKKÂ 668
$36.34MX$632
188.06%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.49DKKÂ 226
$40.05MX$697
-11.39%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$122DKKÂ 777
$79.9MX$1,390
52.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$194DKKÂ 1,236
$88.9MX$1,547
118.05%
đ Accommodation & Living
Kongens Lyngby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,833DKKÂ 11.7K
$963MX$16.8K
90.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$698DKKÂ 4,453
$465MX$8,086
50.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,790DKKÂ 17.8K
$1,596MX$27.8K
74.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,979DKKÂ 12.6K
$1,209MX$21.0K
63.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,075DKKÂ 45.1K
$3,942MX$68.6K
79.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,997DKKÂ 31.9K
$6,448MX$112.2K
-22.51%
đľ Salaries & Financials
Kongens Lyngby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,882DKKÂ 24.8K
$720MX$12.5K
438.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.19
11.42
-63.31%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Kongens Lyngby: April 28, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
đ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,833 in Kongens Lyngby and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
đ°Kongens Lyngby pays 439% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
đDining out: $119 in Kongens Lyngby vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $251 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
Kongens Lyngby vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Kongens Lyngby?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Kongens Lyngby or Playa del Carmen?
Kongens Lyngby pays 439% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Kongens Lyngby and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,833 in Kongens Lyngby 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 kindergarten?
Childcare runs $597 in Kongens Lyngby versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Kongens Lyngby and Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 59% higher in Kongens Lyngby. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Kongens Lyngby or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,211 in Kongens Lyngby, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Kongens Lyngby. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Kongens Lyngby or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kongens Lyngby, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Kongens Lyngby or Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Kongens Lyngby 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet â expenses run 72% less than in Kongens Lyngby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Kongens Lyngby vs other spots: cost of living compared