Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kourou and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Kourou: $174 a month against $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $12,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Kourou, French Guiana
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Kourou
🇬🇫 French Guiana
$174
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kourou and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kourou and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $174 in Kourou versus $1,202 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Kourou $174
  • Playa del Carmen $1,202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $303 in Kourou versus $2,082 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Kourou $303
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $432 in Kourou versus $2,962 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Kourou $432
  • Playa del Carmen $2,962

Living in Kourou costs roughly 86% less than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kourou 87% lower, Playa del Carmen 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kourou
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
-
$10.67 MX$201
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$43.80 MX$824
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$11.79 MX$222
-
Cappuccino
-
$3.79 MX$71.2
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.30 MX$24.41
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.83 MX$15.69
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.15 MX$59.2
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.93 MX$92.9
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kourou
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
-
$1.41 MX$26.51
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.00 €1.78
$2.20 MX$41.32
-9.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$1.47 MX$27.71
-
Eggs
$6.61 €5.90
$2.50 MX$46.99
164.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$7.29 MX$137
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$7.95 MX$150
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$12.86 MX$242
-
Apples (1kg)
$4.32 €3.85
$2.90 MX$54.5
48.97%
Banana (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$1.38 MX$26.03
64.49%
Oranges (1kg)
-
$2.49 MX$46.88
-
Tomato (1kg)
$7.77 €6.93
$2.03 MX$38.20
282.76%
Potato (1kg)
$2.43 €2.17
$2.02 MX$38.11
20.30%
Onion (1kg)
$6.90 €6.15
$1.90 MX$35.82
263.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.22 €1.98
$1.14 MX$21.54
94.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.94 €1.73
$1.24 MX$23.32
56.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$4.27 MX$80.4
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$9.81 MX$185
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.59 MX$29.85
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.75 MX$51.7
-
🚌 Getting Around
Kourou
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.51 MX$9.69
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$27.39 MX$515
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$4.76 MX$89.6
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$3.25 MX$61.1
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$5.39 MX$101
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$1.53 MX$28.76
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$21.2K MX$399.2K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$23.3K MX$437.8K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kourou
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$83.5 MX$1,571
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$23.19 MX$436
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$27.61 MX$520
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kourou
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$56.4 MX$1,062
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.19 MX$531
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$5.00 MX$94.1
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kourou
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$207 MX$3,897
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$5,231 MX$98.4K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kourou
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$43.45 MX$818
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$42.54 MX$801
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$72.8 MX$1,369
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$88.4 MX$1,663
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kourou
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,422 €1,268
$995 MX$18.7K
42.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$382 MX$7,197
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,674 MX$31.5K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,081 MX$20.3K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,909 MX$73.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,138 MX$115.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kourou
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$832 MX$15.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
11.45
-

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

Last update for Kourou: November 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kourou
–
Playa del Carmen
$382
Groceries & Markets
Kourou
–
Playa del Carmen
$257
Eating Out
Kourou
–
Playa del Carmen
$200
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kourou
–
Playa del Carmen
$134
Clothing & Footwear
Kourou
–
Playa del Carmen
$111
Sport & Entertainment
Kourou
–
Playa del Carmen
$66
Getting Around
Kourou
–
Playa del Carmen
$50

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,422 in Kourou and $995 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Good to know
🇬🇫 Kourou
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
01:56 1:56 AM
23:56 11:56 PM
2 h behind Kourou
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
24,903
149,923
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18.82 MXN (100 MXN = 5.31 USD). 1 EUR = 21.05 MXN (100 MXN = 4.75 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kourou Playa del Carmen 4,100 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kourou
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Kourou vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Kourou and in Playa del Carmen?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $174 in Kourou and $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, so Kourou is about 86% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Kourou compared to Playa del Carmen?
You’d need roughly $261 in Kourou and $1,804 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Kourou and in Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,422 in Kourou versus $995 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 48% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Kourou or Playa del Carmen?
All in, you’ll spend $174 per month in Kourou versus $1,202 in Playa del Carmen – Kourou is about 86% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $174 in Kourou versus $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Kourou but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Kourou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Kourou 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.

Kourou vs other spots: cost of living compared

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