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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,198 in Kaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,270 in Kaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,343 in Kaka, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 39% cheaper than Kaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Kaka is 60% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$31.36 TMT 105

-58.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$86.8 TMT 291

-46.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$12.91 TMT 43.26

-2.48%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$6.86 TMT 22.97

-41.69%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$1.61 TMT 5.38

-11.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.83 TMT 2.78

-2.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$5.55 TMT 18.59

-45.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$13.52 TMT 45.28

-49.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$4.62 TMT 15.47

-62.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$2.07 TMT 6.93

7.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$5.90 TMT 19.78

-70.85%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$6.15 TMT 20.59

-55.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$37.92 TMT 127

-75.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$20.18 TMT 67.6

-56.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$23.49 TMT 78.7

-45.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$5.01 TMT 16.79

-37.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$8.34 TMT 27.94

-81.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$7.29 TMT 24.41

-70.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$3.60 TMT 12.06

-34.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$2.21 TMT 7.41

-8.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$1.39 TMT 4.64

43.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$2.68 TMT 8.97

-53.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$1.09 TMT 3.65

9.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$25.18 TMT 84.3

-81.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$41.85 TMT 140

-74.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$5.30 TMT 17.75

-70.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$2.77 TMT 9.30

5.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$2.87 TMT 9.60

85.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$0.87 TMT 2.93

327.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$8.71 TMT 29.17

-33.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$0.45 TMT 1.51

244.44%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$43.0K TMT 144.2K

-48.02%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$55.9K TMT 187.4K

-54.28%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$580 TMT 1,944

-84.61%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$57.4 TMT 192

-59.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$103 TMT 343

-69.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$8.74 TMT 29.28

-42.11%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$22.76 TMT 76.3

876.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$25.0K TMT 83.9K

-82.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$55.6 TMT 186

-16.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$114 TMT 381

-60.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$370 TMT 1,239

-74.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$191 TMT 639

-51.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

9.5

22.11%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Kaka: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $87.0 in Kaka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $671 – 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

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

Kaka costs about 65% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,296 in Kaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $2,198 in Kaka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $222 per month in Playa del Carmen and $22.76 in Kaka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,330, than in Kaka at $2,198. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,330 versus $2,198 in Kaka. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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