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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,098 in Kruje versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,626 in Kruje versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,154 in Kruje versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Kruje costs roughly 15% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kruje 18% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.43 ALL 772

$11.73 MX$203

-19.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.28 ALL 3,050

$41.62 MX$720

-10.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 ALL 575

$10.64 MX$184

-33.93%

Cappuccino

$1.90 ALL 155

$3.52 MX$60.9

-46.02%

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

$1.65 ALL 135

$1.51 MX$26.12

9.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ALL 70.1

$0.97 MX$16.84

-11.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ALL 191

$2.95 MX$51.0

-21.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ALL 263

$4.45 MX$77.0

-27.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ALL 162

$1.38 MX$23.93

43.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 ALL 76.4

$1.89 MX$32.72

-50.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 ALL 164

$1.64 MX$28.32

21.95%

Eggs

$3.00 ALL 245

$2.51 MX$43.34

19.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.67 ALL 791

$8.34 MX$144

15.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.96 ALL 651

$8.34 MX$144

-4.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.99 ALL 1,063

$10.73 MX$186

21.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 ALL 141

$2.60 MX$45.04

-33.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 ALL 203

$1.46 MX$25.20

69.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ALL 142

$1.90 MX$32.87

-8.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ALL 114

$2.08 MX$35.91

-33.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 ALL 83.0

$1.78 MX$30.71

-43.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 ALL 100.0

$2.19 MX$37.80

-44.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ALL 89.6

$1.04 MX$17.99

5.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ALL 63.8

$1.08 MX$18.62

-27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.95 ALL 323

$4.08 MX$70.6

-3.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.15 ALL 830

$10.32 MX$178

-1.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 ALL 131

$1.71 MX$29.61

-6.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ALL 147

$2.58 MX$44.54

-30.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ALL 37.36

$0.51 MX$8.81

-9.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.48 ALL 1,512

$26.46 MX$458

-30.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 ALL 278

$3.26 MX$56.4

4.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.16 ALL 259

$2.49 MX$43.09

26.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.42 ALL 1,425

$3.25 MX$56.2

436.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 ALL 170

$1.31 MX$22.61

58.78%

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

$34.4K ALL 2.8M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

13.46%

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

$25.6K ALL 2.1M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

9.39%

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

$67.3 ALL 5,504

$82.9 MX$1,433

-18.81%

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

$17.54 ALL 1,435

$22.22 MX$384

-21.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.69 ALL 1,283

$29.34 MX$507

-46.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 ALL 4,459

$51.6 MX$893

5.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.94 ALL 2,040

$18.32 MX$317

36.14%

Cinema Ticket

$8.01 ALL 656

$5.07 MX$87.6

57.99%

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

$160 ALL 13.1K

$201 MX$3,473

-20.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,635 ALL 461.0K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

8.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.99 ALL 3,926

$36.92 MX$639

29.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 ALL 4,158

$39.79 MX$688

27.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 ALL 7,775

$78.5 MX$1,357

21.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 ALL 10.8K

$87.1 MX$1,506

51.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$456 ALL 37.3K

$973 MX$16.8K

-53.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 ALL 27.6K

$468 MX$8,090

-27.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 ALL 49.8K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-62.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ALL 35.8K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-64.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,854 ALL 151.7K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-53.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,212 ALL 99.1K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-81.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 ALL 53.1K

$664 MX$11.5K

-2.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-64.97%

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

Last update for Kruje: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $456 in Kruje and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 2% 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: $37.00 in Kruje vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 vs $249 per month, with Kruje 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

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

Kruje and Playa del Carmen differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,098 vs $1,297 including rent). Kruje is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 2% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $456 in Kruje versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,098 per month in Kruje versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kruje runs roughly 43% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,098 in Kruje versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kruje but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Kruje 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.

Expats usually find Kruje gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.