Cost of Living Comparison Between Pak Kret and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Pak Kret and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $890 in Pak Kret versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,441 in Pak Kret versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,992 in Pak Kret versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Pak Kret costs roughly 31% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pak Kret 34% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.01 ฿98.3

$11.94 MX$209

-74.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.08 ฿1,016

$42.75 MX$748

-27.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.18 ฿202

$10.59 MX$185

-41.64%

Cappuccino

$2.13 ฿69.7

$3.62 MX$63.4

-41.16%

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

$0.72 ฿23.65

$1.47 MX$25.69

-51.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.72

$0.94 MX$16.51

-71.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿82.7

$3.09 MX$54.1

-18.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ฿81.7

$4.46 MX$78.0

-43.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿56.9

$1.43 MX$24.94

21.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ฿43.64

$1.88 MX$32.97

-29.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.49

$1.63 MX$28.50

-11.04%

Eggs

$2.19 ฿71.7

$2.64 MX$46.26

-17.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.61 ฿510

$8.21 MX$144

90.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿108

$8.29 MX$145

-60.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.54 ฿312

$11.10 MX$194

-14.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 ฿111

$2.65 MX$46.40

28.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.40

$1.50 MX$26.26

-11.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 ฿64.1

$1.99 MX$34.79

-1.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.39

$2.08 MX$36.33

-31.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.1

$1.79 MX$31.29

-14.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.91

$2.18 MX$38.09

-44.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.62

$1.08 MX$18.84

-4.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.47

$1.04 MX$18.15

-49.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.74 ฿155

$3.97 MX$69.5

19.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.22 ฿563

$10.20 MX$179

68.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.6

$1.73 MX$30.22

1.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 ฿76.2

$2.50 MX$43.71

-6.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿30.72

$0.52 MX$9.07

80.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ฿35.69

$3.14 MX$55.0

-65.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$2.40 MX$42.04

-50.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 ฿113

$3.09 MX$54.0

11.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿42.26

$1.27 MX$22.28

1.57%

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

$26.0K ฿851.1K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-15.72%

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

$26.6K ฿869.5K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

14.05%

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

$79.3 ฿2,594

$82.0 MX$1,435

-3.28%

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

$12.43 ฿406

$22.45 MX$393

-44.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.34 ฿567

$29.66 MX$519

-41.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.94 ฿1,633

$51.9 MX$908

-3.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.35 ฿404

$18.67 MX$327

-33.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.64 ฿250

$4.97 MX$87.0

53.72%

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

$297 ฿9,706

$198 MX$3,462

50.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,336 ฿305.3K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

77.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.44 ฿995

$36.34 MX$636

-16.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.87 ฿650

$40.05 MX$701

-50.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 ฿3,258

$79.9 MX$1,398

24.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.42 ฿1,453

$88.9 MX$1,555

-50.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 ฿13.6K

$963 MX$16.9K

-56.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,429

$465 MX$8,133

-37.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 ฿26.7K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-48.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 ฿21.4K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-45.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,358 ฿77.1K

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-40.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,374 ฿44.9K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-78.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$770 ฿25.2K

$720 MX$12.6K

6.92%

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 Pak Kret: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $415 in Pak Kret and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pak Kret pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Pak Kret vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $251 per month, with Pak Kret 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

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

Pak Kret is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Pak Kret pays 7% more on average, 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: $415 in Pak Kret versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $890 per month in Pak Kret versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $890 in Pak Kret versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pak Kret but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Pak Kret the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Pak Kret 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.

Safety-wise, Pak Kret 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 Pak Kret gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.