😐A single person spends $2,603 per month in Pikeville, KY vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $3,813 per month in Pikeville, KY vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $5,024 per month in Pikeville, KY vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐Pikeville, KY costs about 101% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Pikeville, KY sits 94% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pikeville, KY
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.84$17.84
$11.73MX$205
52.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.3$76.3
$41.62MX$727
83.23%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.90$9.90
$10.64MX$186
-6.95%
Cappuccino
$5.25$5.25
$3.52MX$61.5
49.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43$2.43
$1.51MX$26.37
60.93%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94$1.94
$0.97MX$17.00
100.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.97$5.97
$2.95MX$51.5
102.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.61$7.61
$4.45MX$77.8
71.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pikeville, KY
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.52$0.52
$1.38MX$24.16
-62.32%
White Bread(500g)
$2.85$2.85
$1.89MX$33.04
50.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$5.36$5.36
$1.64MX$28.59
226.83%
Eggs
$3.16$3.16
$2.51MX$43.76
25.90%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.85$15.85
$8.34MX$146
90.05%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.08$12.08
$8.34MX$146
44.84%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.45$14.45
$10.73MX$187
34.67%
Apples(1kg)
$5.37$5.37
$2.60MX$45.48
106.54%
Banana(1kg)
$1.59$1.59
$1.46MX$25.45
8.90%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.16$4.16
$1.90MX$33.19
118.95%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.77$5.77
$2.08MX$36.26
177.40%
Potato(1kg)
$2.78$2.78
$1.78MX$31.01
56.18%
Onion(1kg)
$2.59$2.59
$2.19MX$38.16
18.26%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.88$1.88
$1.04MX$18.16
80.77%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.95$1.95
$1.08MX$18.80
80.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.70$8.70
$4.08MX$71.3
113.24%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.45$15.45
$10.32MX$180
49.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.73$2.73
$1.71MX$29.90
59.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21$3.21
$2.58MX$44.98
24.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Pikeville, KY
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.95$1.95
$0.51MX$8.90
282.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$26.46MX$462
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.82$2.82
$3.26MX$57.0
-13.50%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.39$1.39
$2.49MX$43.51
-44.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$30.22$30.22
$3.25MX$56.7
829.85%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.89$0.89
$1.31MX$22.83
-32.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K$34.4K
$30.3KMX$528.8K
13.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K$26.2K
$23.4KMX$409.2K
11.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pikeville, KY
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$239$239
$82.9MX$1,447
188.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$57.5$57.5
$22.22MX$388
158.78%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$62.0$62.0
$29.34MX$512
111.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pikeville, KY
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.49$43.49
$51.6MX$902
-15.77%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.32MX$320
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.15$12.15
$5.07MX$88.5
139.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pikeville, KY
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,229$1,229
$201MX$3,507
511.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.3K$13.3K
$5,212MX$91.0K
154.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pikeville, KY
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.74$48.74
$36.92MX$645
32.02%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.12$44.12
$39.79MX$695
10.88%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$87.2$87.2
$78.5MX$1,370
11.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.1$98.1
$87.1MX$1,521
12.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pikeville, KY
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,600$1,600
$973MX$17.0K
64.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,352$1,352
$468MX$8,169
188.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,646$2,646
$1,641MX$28.7K
61.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,208$2,208
$1,221MX$21.3K
80.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,576$2,576
$3,946MX$68.9K
-34.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,696$2,696
$6,498MX$113.5K
-58.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pikeville, KY
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$664MX$11.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.61
11.42
-42.12%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Pikeville, KY: June 1, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,600 in Pikeville, KY versus $973 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 $76.0 in Pikeville, KY versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $396 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen 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
Pikeville, KY vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Pikeville, KY and Playa del Carmen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,603 in Pikeville, KY, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 101% apart. Pikeville, KY costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Pikeville, KY compared to Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,904 per month in Pikeville, KY and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Pikeville, KY and Playa del Carmen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Pikeville, KY or Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,603 in Pikeville, KY and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Pikeville, KY and Playa del Carmen?
Kindergarten costs $1,229 per month in Pikeville, KY and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Pikeville, KY at $2,603. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pikeville, KY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Pikeville, KY and Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,297 in Playa del Carmen to $2,603 in Pikeville, KY. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Pikeville, KY and Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pikeville, KY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Pikeville, KY vs other spots: cost of living compared