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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $891 per month in Nonthaburi vs $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,386 per month in Nonthaburi vs $2,189 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,881 per month in Nonthaburi vs $3,084 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Nonthaburi is about 31% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Nonthaburi and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Nonthaburi 33% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.15 ฿102

$11.73 MX$202

-73.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.62 ฿703

$41.78 MX$719

-48.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 ฿205

$10.41 MX$179

-39.29%

Cappuccino

$2.08 ฿67.6

$3.61 MX$62.1

-42.38%

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

$0.69 ฿22.34

$1.46 MX$25.06

-52.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.69

$0.97 MX$16.70

-72.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 ฿66.8

$2.92 MX$50.3

-29.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿117

$4.62 MX$79.5

-21.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ฿51.1

$1.43 MX$24.59

9.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ฿43.68

$1.90 MX$32.70

-29.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 ฿40.55

$1.57 MX$26.95

-20.38%

Eggs

$2.20 ฿71.5

$2.64 MX$45.34

-16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.29 ฿595

$8.44 MX$145

116.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.80 ฿91.0

$8.58 MX$148

-67.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿303

$11.00 MX$189

-15.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿110

$2.70 MX$46.51

25.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ฿58.1

$1.51 MX$25.92

18.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.91 MX$32.93

-4.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.4

$2.17 MX$37.37

-27.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 ฿54.1

$1.87 MX$32.25

-10.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.04

$2.23 MX$38.43

-36.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 ฿34.60

$1.08 MX$18.60

-1.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.90

$1.07 MX$18.47

-51.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 ฿140

$4.16 MX$71.6

3.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.49 ฿471

$10.29 MX$177

40.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.4

$1.68 MX$28.95

7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ฿110

$2.53 MX$43.59

34.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.23

$0.55 MX$9.53

63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.03 ฿1,204

$26.29 MX$452

40.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 ฿35.99

$3.20 MX$55.0

-65.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 ฿37.88

$2.46 MX$42.37

-52.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 ฿134

$3.20 MX$55.0

29.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿43.74

$1.32 MX$22.72

2.27%

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

$36.4K ฿1.2M

$30.2K MX$518.8K

20.76%

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

$27.9K ฿906.7K

$23.4K MX$402.5K

19.25%

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

$88.3 ฿2,870

$81.4 MX$1,400

8.54%

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

$13.04 ฿424

$22.41 MX$386

-41.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.98 ฿552

$29.97 MX$516

-43.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 ฿1,767

$51.6 MX$887

5.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.36 ฿402

$18.39 MX$316

-32.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.11 ฿198

$5.16 MX$88.9

18.41%

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

$431 ฿14.0K

$202 MX$3,471

113.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ฿432.2K

$5,311 MX$91.4K

150.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.48 ฿991

$35.61 MX$613

-14.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.36 ฿1,247

$40.37 MX$695

-4.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ฿3,460

$78.6 MX$1,353

35.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.0 ฿2,829

$86.9 MX$1,495

0.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ฿23.3K

$950 MX$16.3K

-24.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$193 ฿6,261

$478 MX$8,227

-59.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$832 ฿27.0K

$1,621 MX$27.9K

-48.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 ฿14.2K

$1,223 MX$21.0K

-64.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

11.42

-48.86%

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

Last update for Nonthaburi: June 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $717 in Nonthaburi versus $950 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Nonthaburi versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $254 – making Nonthaburi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 45%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,336 per month in Nonthaburi and $1,941 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nonthaburi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $891 in Nonthaburi and $1,294 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 41% less in Nonthaburi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nonthaburi, where all-in costs run around $891, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Nonthaburi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nonthaburi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Nonthaburi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.