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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,693 in Koror versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,688 in Koror versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,684 in Koror versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Koror is roughly 34% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Koror is 27% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 $11.96

$11.72 MX$203

2.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.0 $75.0

$41.89 MX$725

79.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 $10.11

$10.51 MX$182

-3.81%

Cappuccino

$4.06 $4.06

$3.59 MX$62.0

13.09%

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

$1.35 $1.35

$1.51 MX$26.10

-10.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 $1.10

$0.92 MX$15.83

19.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.96 MX$51.2

-48.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$4.41 MX$76.3

-51.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.40 MX$24.16

93.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.52 $3.52

$1.88 MX$32.60

87.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.24 $0.24

$1.56 MX$26.97

-84.62%

Eggs

$5.88 $5.88

$2.61 MX$45.14

125.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 $9.96

$8.32 MX$144

19.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 $14.14

$8.35 MX$145

69.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.49 $19.49

$10.86 MX$188

79.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$2.71 MX$46.93

97.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.51 MX$26.04

49.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.53 $5.53

$1.87 MX$32.41

195.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$16.73 $16.73

$2.19 MX$37.89

663.93%

Potato (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$1.86 MX$32.14

150.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.23 MX$38.59

51.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.07 MX$18.48

92.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.09 MX$18.79

55.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.09 $11.09

$4.19 MX$72.4

164.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.62 $22.62

$10.43 MX$180

116.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 $3.54

$1.66 MX$28.68

113.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.61 MX$45.19

31.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 $2.51

$3.08 MX$53.3

-18.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 $5.93

$3.13 MX$54.1

89.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.31 MX$22.69

33.59%

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

$17.7K $17.7K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-40.64%

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

$14.8K $14.8K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

-36.41%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

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

$51.2 $51.2

$22.56 MX$390

127.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$130 $130

$30.05 MX$520

332.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 $55.8

$52.9 MX$915

5.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

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

$199 $199

$201 MX$3,474

-1.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,899 $1,899

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-63.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 $63.2

$35.92 MX$622

76.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 $53.5

$40.13 MX$694

33.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 $145

$79.7 MX$1,379

81.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$194 $194

$86.5 MX$1,496

124.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 $763

$978 MX$16.9K

-22.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 $554

$470 MX$8,140

17.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,768 $1,768

$1,651 MX$28.6K

7.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$959 $959

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-20.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$798 $798

$677 MX$11.7K

17.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Koror: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $763 in Koror and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Koror pays 18% 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: $75.0 in Koror vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $511 vs $252 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

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

Koror and Playa del Carmen differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($1,693 vs $1,260 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 18% higher in Koror, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $763 in Koror versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 103% higher in Koror. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,693 per month in Koror versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,693 in Koror, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Koror. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Koror 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.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Koror. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.