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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $952 in Kukes versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,412 in Kukes versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,871 in Kukes versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Kukes costs roughly 24% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kukes 28% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.27 ALL 753

$11.72 MX$203

-20.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.35 ALL 3,035

$41.89 MX$725

-10.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.88 ALL 559

$10.51 MX$182

-34.54%

Cappuccino

$1.87 ALL 152

$3.59 MX$62.0

-47.91%

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

$1.57 ALL 128

$1.51 MX$26.10

3.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 ALL 70.3

$0.92 MX$15.83

-5.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 ALL 186

$2.96 MX$51.2

-22.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ALL 258

$4.41 MX$76.3

-27.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 ALL 123

$1.40 MX$24.16

7.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 ALL 67.8

$1.88 MX$32.60

-55.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 ALL 158

$1.56 MX$26.97

24.36%

Eggs

$3.01 ALL 245

$2.61 MX$45.14

15.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.68 ALL 786

$8.32 MX$144

16.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.95 ALL 565

$8.35 MX$145

-16.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.46 ALL 688

$10.86 MX$188

-22.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 ALL 93.6

$2.71 MX$46.93

-57.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ALL 140

$1.51 MX$26.04

13.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 ALL 74.8

$1.87 MX$32.41

-50.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 ALL 108

$2.19 MX$37.89

-39.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ALL 56.0

$1.86 MX$32.14

-62.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 ALL 67.9

$2.23 MX$38.59

-62.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ALL 77.4

$1.07 MX$18.48

-11.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ALL 59.5

$1.09 MX$18.79

-33.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.46 ALL 281

$4.19 MX$72.4

-17.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.10 ALL 577

$10.43 MX$180

-31.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ALL 79.2

$1.66 MX$28.68

-41.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ALL 143

$2.61 MX$45.19

-32.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 ALL 36.56

$0.54 MX$9.37

-16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.52 ALL 1,504

$26.16 MX$453

-29.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 ALL 278

$3.08 MX$53.3

11.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.06 ALL 249

$2.40 MX$41.61

27.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.82 ALL 392

$3.13 MX$54.1

53.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 ALL 174

$1.31 MX$22.69

63.36%

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

$34.5K ALL 2.8M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

15.59%

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

$25.8K ALL 2.1M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

10.71%

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

$68.2 ALL 5,540

$81.3 MX$1,406

-16.10%

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

$17.17 ALL 1,395

$22.56 MX$390

-23.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.64 ALL 1,271

$30.05 MX$520

-47.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 ALL 4,491

$52.9 MX$915

4.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.83 ALL 2,018

$18.39 MX$318

35.02%

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 ALL 279

$4.92 MX$85.1

-30.08%

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

$93.9 ALL 7,632

$201 MX$3,474

-53.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.27 ALL 2,866

$35.92 MX$622

-1.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.41 ALL 1,902

$40.13 MX$694

-41.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.03 ALL 3,415

$79.7 MX$1,379

-47.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.92 ALL 4,056

$86.5 MX$1,496

-42.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 ALL 36.5K

$978 MX$16.9K

-54.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 ALL 28.3K

$470 MX$8,140

-25.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$612 ALL 49.7K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-62.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ALL 34.9K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-64.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,856 ALL 150.8K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-53.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,198 ALL 97.4K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-81.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$520 ALL 42.3K

$677 MX$11.7K

-23.10%

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 Kukes: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $449 in Kukes and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 30% 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 Kukes vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $252 per month, with Kukes 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

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

Kukes is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Playa del Carmen. 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: $449 in Kukes versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kukes runs roughly 41% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $93.9 in Kukes versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $952 in Kukes versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kukes but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Kukes the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kukes is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Kukes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.