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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,001 in Krabi versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,452 in Krabi versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,903 in Krabi versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Krabi costs roughly 23% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Krabi 25% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.12 ฿102

$11.73 MX$203

-73.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.63 ฿804

$41.62 MX$719

-40.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.03 ฿197

$10.64 MX$184

-43.33%

Cappuccino

$2.67 ฿87.3

$3.52 MX$60.8

-24.15%

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

$0.95 ฿30.88

$1.51 MX$26.09

-37.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿12.98

$0.97 MX$16.82

-58.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.95 MX$51.0

-18.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ฿92.4

$4.45 MX$77.0

-36.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 ฿82.1

$1.38 MX$23.90

81.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 ฿80.0

$1.89 MX$32.69

29.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 ฿63.5

$1.64 MX$28.29

18.29%

Eggs

$2.16 ฿70.6

$2.51 MX$43.30

-13.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.55 ฿900

$8.34 MX$144

230.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 ฿118

$8.34 MX$144

-56.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.83 ฿256

$10.73 MX$185

-27.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 ฿80.5

$2.60 MX$45.00

-5.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 ฿28.91

$1.46 MX$25.18

-39.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ฿61.8

$1.90 MX$32.84

-0.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 ฿63.6

$2.08 MX$35.88

-6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.88

$1.78 MX$30.68

-15.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.09

$2.19 MX$37.76

-38.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ฿48.42

$1.04 MX$17.97

42.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 ฿14.51

$1.08 MX$18.60

-59.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.65 ฿119

$4.08 MX$70.5

-10.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.98 ฿358

$10.32 MX$178

6.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿55.6

$1.71 MX$29.59

-0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.58 MX$44.50

20.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 ฿39.20

$0.51 MX$8.81

135.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 ฿36.11

$3.26 MX$56.4

-65.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿38.77

$2.49 MX$43.05

-52.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 ฿201

$3.25 MX$56.1

89.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ฿39.19

$1.31 MX$22.59

-8.40%

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

$28.2K ฿921.3K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-6.84%

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

$27.9K ฿912.0K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

19.18%

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

$43.78 ฿1,430

$82.9 MX$1,432

-47.17%

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

$12.83 ฿419

$22.22 MX$384

-42.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.96 ฿913

$29.34 MX$507

-4.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.95 ฿1,338

$51.6 MX$892

-20.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.26 ฿400

$18.32 MX$317

-33.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 ฿222

$5.07 MX$87.5

33.73%

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

$213 ฿6,951

$201 MX$3,470

5.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,852 ฿256.4K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

50.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.98 ฿1,077

$36.92 MX$638

-10.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.73 ฿1,134

$39.79 MX$688

-12.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 ฿3,528

$78.5 MX$1,356

37.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 ฿2,491

$87.1 MX$1,505

-12.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.3K

$973 MX$16.8K

-48.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 ฿12.1K

$468 MX$8,082

-20.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 ฿19.5K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-63.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿14.5K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-63.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,212 ฿39.6K

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-69.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,070 ฿35.0K

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-83.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$732 ฿23.9K

$664 MX$11.5K

10.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

11.42

-52.28%

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

Last update for Krabi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $498 in Krabi and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krabi pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Krabi vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $280 vs $249, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Krabi and Playa del Carmen differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($1,001 vs $1,297 including rent). Krabi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Krabi pays 10% more on average, 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: $498 in Krabi versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,001 per month in Krabi versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,001 in Krabi versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Krabi but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Krabi 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, Krabi 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 Krabi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.