Cost of Living Comparison Between Manhattan, KS and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Manhattan, KS and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,189 in Manhattan, KS versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Manhattan, KS versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,302 in Manhattan, KS versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Manhattan, KS is roughly 73% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Manhattan, KS is 60% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.94 $14.94

$11.60 MX$200

28.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.4 $79.4

$47.11 MX$812

68.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.84 $11.84

$11.88 MX$205

-0.34%

Cappuccino

$5.41 $5.41

$3.98 MX$68.6

35.93%

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

$1.98 $1.98

$1.43 MX$24.60

38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.82 MX$14.22

85.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.19 MX$55.0

60.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.33 $7.33

$6.79 MX$117

7.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.68 MX$28.89

-54.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 $3.19

$2.20 MX$37.88

45.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$1.71 MX$29.45

253.80%

Eggs

$4.69 $4.69

$2.74 MX$47.26

71.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.69 $11.69

$9.58 MX$165

22.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.14 $9.14

$9.01 MX$155

1.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.78 $14.78

$12.81 MX$221

15.38%

Apples (1kg)

$6.63 $6.63

$2.89 MX$49.81

129.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.50 MX$25.81

51.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.11 $6.11

$2.15 MX$37.03

184.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.26 MX$38.96

86.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.19 $3.19

$1.98 MX$34.15

61.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.66 $3.66

$1.99 MX$34.30

83.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.23 MX$21.28

54.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.20 MX$20.63

111.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$4.55 MX$78.5

117.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.16 $17.16

$10.37 MX$179

65.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.62 MX$27.91

7.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.88 MX$49.67

-14.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.7 $60.7

$28.80 MX$497

110.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 $5.06

$5.39 MX$92.9

-6.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$3.73 MX$64.3

-51.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.67 $34.67

$5.77 MX$99.5

500.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.54 MX$26.48

-44.81%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

58.08%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-1.52%

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

$121 $121

$91.4 MX$1,576

32.91%

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

$51.6 $51.6

$25.20 MX$435

104.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 $65.4

$31.24 MX$539

109.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.9 $74.9

$67.2 MX$1,159

11.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$15.21 $15.21

$4.86 MX$83.8

212.96%

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

$831 $831

$224 MX$3,856

271.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K $11.6K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

175.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 $51.9

$47.10 MX$812

10.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.33 $34.33

$44.29 MX$764

-22.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 $92.1

$80.1 MX$1,381

14.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 $132

$92.7 MX$1,598

42.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$917 $917

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-13.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$999 $999

$390 MX$6,728

155.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 $1,480

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-31.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,405 $1,405

$1,272 MX$21.9K

10.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,388 $1,388

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-65.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,412 $1,412

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-78.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,438 $3,438

$758 MX$13.1K

353.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.03

11.45

-47.34%

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

Last update for Manhattan, KS: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $917 in Manhattan, KS and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manhattan, KS pays 353% 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: $79.0 in Manhattan, KS vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $276 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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

Manhattan, KS vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 73% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 353% higher in Manhattan, KS, 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: $917 in Manhattan, KS versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $831 in Manhattan, KS versus $224 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Manhattan, KS. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,189 in Manhattan, KS, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Manhattan, KS. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Manhattan, KS 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Manhattan, KS. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.