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 $861 per month in Nonthaburi vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,380 per month in Nonthaburi vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,899 per month in Nonthaburi vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Nonthaburi is about 33% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Nonthaburi and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Nonthaburi 36% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.05 ฿99.3

$11.94 MX$208

-74.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.76 ฿708

$42.75 MX$744

-49.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.99 ฿195

$10.59 MX$184

-43.44%

Cappuccino

$2.09 ฿67.9

$3.62 MX$63.0

-42.27%

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

$0.67 ฿21.93

$1.47 MX$25.54

-54.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.71

$0.94 MX$16.41

-71.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 ฿63.7

$3.09 MX$53.8

-36.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿117

$4.46 MX$77.6

-19.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 ฿49.52

$1.43 MX$24.80

6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 ฿43.80

$1.88 MX$32.79

-28.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.08

$1.63 MX$28.34

-26.38%

Eggs

$2.27 ฿73.9

$2.64 MX$45.99

-14.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.60 ฿605

$8.21 MX$143

126.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.80 ฿91.1

$8.29 MX$144

-66.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.33 ฿303

$11.10 MX$193

-15.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ฿115

$2.65 MX$46.14

33.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 ฿56.5

$1.50 MX$26.11

16.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ฿61.3

$1.99 MX$34.59

-5.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.08 MX$36.13

-26.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$1.79 MX$31.11

-7.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.11

$2.18 MX$37.87

-33.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ฿35.99

$1.08 MX$18.73

2.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.07

$1.04 MX$18.04

-52.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$3.97 MX$69.1

12.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 ฿506

$10.20 MX$178

52.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.5

$1.73 MX$30.04

4.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ฿109

$2.50 MX$43.46

34.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.09

$0.52 MX$9.02

71.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.34 ฿1,181

$26.97 MX$469

34.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿34.37

$3.14 MX$54.7

-66.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 ฿37.57

$2.40 MX$41.80

-51.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 ฿133

$3.09 MX$53.7

32.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.58

$1.27 MX$22.16

0.79%

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

$36.7K ฿1.2M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

18.84%

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

$28.0K ฿909.8K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

20.03%

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

$90.6 ฿2,946

$82.0 MX$1,427

10.49%

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

$13.31 ฿433

$22.45 MX$391

-40.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.04 ฿554

$29.66 MX$516

-42.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ฿1,737

$51.9 MX$903

2.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.27 ฿399

$18.67 MX$325

-34.28%

Cinema Ticket

$6.29 ฿204

$4.97 MX$86.5

26.56%

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

$434 ฿14.1K

$198 MX$3,442

119.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K ฿426.8K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

149.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.64 ฿996

$36.34 MX$632

-15.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.45 ฿1,283

$40.05 MX$697

-1.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 ฿3,418

$79.9 MX$1,390

31.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.9 ฿2,857

$88.9 MX$1,547

-1.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿23.7K

$963 MX$16.8K

-24.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 ฿6,069

$465 MX$8,086

-59.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 ฿27.5K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-47.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿14.4K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-63.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,346 ฿76.3K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-40.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$772 ฿25.1K

$720 MX$12.5K

7.21%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $730 in Nonthaburi versus $963 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.

Salaries run about 7% higher in Nonthaburi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Nonthaburi versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $251 – 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 49%, 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 $1,292 per month in Nonthaburi and $1,930 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 $861 in Nonthaburi and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 35% 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 $861, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.