Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Kahului, HI Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Kahului, HI

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,899 in Kahului, HI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,657 in Kahului, HI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $7,415 in Kahului, HI.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 67% less than in Kahului, HI, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Kahului, HI is 184% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$48.67 $48.67

-75.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$73.7 $73.7

-36.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$18.76 $18.76

-37.90%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$7.09 $7.09

-42.31%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$2.84 $2.84

-51.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$3.60 $3.60

-76.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$4.86 $4.86

-31.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$7.35 $7.35

-5.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$1.44 $1.44

20.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$6.96 $6.96

-67.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$8.94 $8.94

-80.20%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$6.48 $6.48

-57.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$8.84 $8.84

3.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$15.56 $15.56

-42.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$20.06 $20.06

-37.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$12.92 $12.92

-76.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$2.81 $2.81

-44.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$13.80 $13.80

-83.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$6.15 $6.15

-53.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$2.02 $2.02

-71.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$45.48 $45.48

-34.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$35.47 $35.47

-83.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.29 $1.29

20.16%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$39.4K $39.4K

-43.29%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.65%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$287 $287

-68.91%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$68.6 $68.6

-63.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$52.7 $52.7

-40.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

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

$225 MX$3,803

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$55.1 $55.1

-13.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$40.14 $40.14

12.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$96.8 $96.8

-15.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$124 $124

-25.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$2,342 $2,342

-54.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$2,295 $2,295

-82.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$3,912 $3,912

-50.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$3,765 $3,765

-65.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$11.9K $11.9K

-66.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$11.6K $11.6K

-42.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$4,727 $4,727

-84.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Kahului, HI: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $2,342 in Kahului, HI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kahului, HI pays 531% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $74.0 in Kahului, HI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $473 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

Playa del Carmen vs Kahului, HI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 201% lower than in Kahului, HI. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 531% lower in Kahului, HI. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,342 in Kahului, HI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 71% higher in Kahului, HI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $3,899 in Kahului, HI – a 201% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,899 in Kahului, HI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Kahului, HI. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,293 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Kahului, HI 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 201% less than in Kahului, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.