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: $773 in Kukes versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,144 in Kukes versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,515 in Kukes versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Kukes costs roughly 39% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kukes 43% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.71 ALL 294

$11.60 MX$200

-68.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.00 ALL 1,823

$47.11 MX$811

-51.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.59 ALL 602

$11.88 MX$205

-36.11%

Cappuccino

$1.48 ALL 117

$3.98 MX$68.5

-62.81%

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

$1.40 ALL 111

$1.43 MX$24.58

-2.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ALL 55.6

$0.82 MX$14.20

-14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 ALL 146

$3.19 MX$54.9

-42.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ALL 181

$6.79 MX$117

-66.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ALL 129

$1.68 MX$28.86

-2.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 ALL 66.7

$2.20 MX$37.84

-61.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 ALL 163

$1.71 MX$29.42

20.47%

Eggs

$2.74 ALL 217

$2.74 MX$47.21

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 ALL 744

$9.58 MX$165

-1.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.57 ALL 600

$9.01 MX$155

-15.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ALL 853

$12.81 MX$221

-15.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 ALL 79.2

$2.89 MX$49.75

-65.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 ALL 150

$1.50 MX$25.79

26.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 ALL 81.7

$2.15 MX$37.00

-52.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ALL 128

$2.26 MX$38.92

-28.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 ALL 62.2

$1.98 MX$34.11

-60.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ALL 83.8

$1.99 MX$34.27

-46.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 ALL 82.6

$1.23 MX$21.26

-15.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ALL 57.3

$1.20 MX$20.61

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ALL 339

$4.55 MX$78.4

-5.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 ALL 586

$10.37 MX$179

-28.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ALL 91.7

$1.62 MX$27.88

-28.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ALL 134

$2.88 MX$49.61

-41.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ALL 41.49

$0.60 MX$10.34

-13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.91 ALL 1,578

$28.80 MX$496

-30.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.75 ALL 298

$5.39 MX$92.8

-30.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.80 ALL 301

$3.73 MX$64.2

1.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 ALL 402

$5.77 MX$99.4

-12.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 ALL 181

$1.54 MX$26.46

48.05%

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

$34.5K ALL 2.7M

$22.5K MX$388.4K

53.15%

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

$25.3K ALL 2.0M

$26.1K MX$448.8K

-2.78%

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

$64.1 ALL 5,080

$91.4 MX$1,574

-29.84%

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

$16.46 ALL 1,304

$25.20 MX$434

-34.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.76 ALL 1,407

$31.24 MX$538

-43.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.9 ALL 4,664

$67.2 MX$1,158

-12.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.36 ALL 979

$29.11 MX$501

-57.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.70 ALL 293

$4.86 MX$83.8

-23.87%

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

$100 ALL 7,960

$224 MX$3,852

-55.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.25 ALL 2,952

$47.10 MX$811

-20.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.64 ALL 2,269

$44.29 MX$763

-35.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.2 ALL 3,975

$80.1 MX$1,380

-37.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.17 ALL 3,659

$92.7 MX$1,596

-50.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 ALL 18.6K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-77.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 ALL 13.8K

$390 MX$6,721

-55.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 ALL 22.6K

$2,149 MX$37.0K

-86.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 ALL 17.2K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-82.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,876 ALL 148.7K

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-53.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,267 ALL 100.4K

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-80.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$549 ALL 43.5K

$758 MX$13.1K

-27.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-56.33%

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

Last update for Kukes: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $235 in Kukes and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 38% 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: $23.00 in Kukes vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $212 vs $276 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 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 38% 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: $235 in Kukes versus $1,063 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 45% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $100 in Kukes versus $224 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $773 in Kukes versus $1,266 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 64% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.