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: $968 in Kukes versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,427 in Kukes versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,886 in Kukes versus $2,980 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

$9.23 ALL 754

$11.87 MX$204

-22.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.73 ALL 3,083

$42.90 MX$736

-12.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.92 ALL 566

$10.65 MX$183

-35.02%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ALL 159

$3.45 MX$59.2

-43.48%

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

$1.60 ALL 131

$1.50 MX$25.81

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ALL 69.7

$0.95 MX$16.28

-10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ALL 196

$3.03 MX$51.9

-20.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ALL 263

$4.61 MX$79.1

-30.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ALL 129

$1.38 MX$23.61

14.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 ALL 70.2

$1.85 MX$31.70

-53.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 ALL 165

$1.61 MX$27.65

25.47%

Eggs

$2.91 ALL 238

$2.59 MX$44.51

12.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.54 ALL 780

$8.26 MX$142

15.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 ALL 567

$8.37 MX$144

-17.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.36 ALL 683

$10.66 MX$183

-21.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 ALL 97.5

$2.63 MX$45.12

-54.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 ALL 146

$1.49 MX$25.53

19.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 ALL 79.1

$1.92 MX$32.94

-49.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ALL 113

$2.09 MX$35.81

-33.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 ALL 55.6

$1.86 MX$31.88

-63.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 ALL 66.1

$2.26 MX$38.81

-64.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ALL 73.3

$1.06 MX$18.23

-15.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ALL 59.9

$1.09 MX$18.67

-33.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 ALL 285

$4.15 MX$71.2

-15.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.11 ALL 581

$10.39 MX$178

-31.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ALL 73.9

$1.72 MX$29.59

-47.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ALL 144

$2.61 MX$44.85

-32.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 40.12

$0.54 MX$9.30

-9.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.49 ALL 1,511

$26.94 MX$462

-31.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ALL 290

$3.13 MX$53.7

13.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 ALL 258

$2.51 MX$43.09

25.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 ALL 377

$3.15 MX$54.1

46.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 ALL 169

$1.27 MX$21.88

62.20%

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

$34.5K ALL 2.8M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

13.60%

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

$25.1K ALL 2.1M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

6.64%

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

$68.3 ALL 5,577

$83.0 MX$1,425

-17.75%

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

$17.68 ALL 1,445

$22.71 MX$390

-22.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.01 ALL 1,308

$29.46 MX$506

-45.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 ALL 4,583

$51.0 MX$875

10.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.19 ALL 2,058

$18.33 MX$315

37.42%

Cinema Ticket

$3.56 ALL 291

$4.93 MX$84.5

-27.79%

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

$93.6 ALL 7,647

$197 MX$3,386

-52.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.62 ALL 2,829

$36.90 MX$633

-6.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.66 ALL 1,933

$39.89 MX$685

-40.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.28 ALL 3,373

$80.0 MX$1,373

-48.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.13 ALL 4,014

$89.5 MX$1,536

-45.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$458 ALL 37.4K

$956 MX$16.4K

-52.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 ALL 27.9K

$477 MX$8,189

-28.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$623 ALL 50.9K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-62.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 ALL 36.0K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-63.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,933 ALL 157.9K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-50.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,332 ALL 108.8K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-79.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$535 ALL 43.7K

$667 MX$11.4K

-19.86%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $458 in Kukes and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 25% 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: $38.00 in Kukes vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $250 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, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 25% 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: $458 in Kukes versus $956 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 46% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $93.6 in Kukes versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $968 in Kukes versus $1,271 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 31% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.