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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $982 in Kakanj, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,453 in Kakanj, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,924 in Kakanj, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 33% more than Kakanj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kakanj are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Kakanj 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$202

$6.95 BAM 11.67

72.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$800

$38.93 BAM 65.4

21.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$198

$7.09 BAM 11.90

65.73%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$69.6

$1.70 BAM 2.86

142.35%

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

$1.40 MX$23.63

$1.96 BAM 3.29

-28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.40

$1.29 BAM 2.17

-29.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.1

$2.39 BAM 4.01

34.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$119

$2.42 BAM 4.07

192.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.31

$1.24 BAM 2.08

35.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.31

$1.13 BAM 1.90

90.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.96

$2.13 BAM 3.58

-16.90%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.54

$3.00 BAM 5.04

-6.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$155

$9.75 BAM 16.37

-5.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$156

$7.60 BAM 12.77

21.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$213

$13.41 BAM 22.52

-5.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$49.83

$1.16 BAM 1.94

154.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.66

$1.65 BAM 2.77

-4.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.53

$1.41 BAM 2.36

57.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$39.90

$1.75 BAM 2.95

34.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.65

$1.01 BAM 1.70

97.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.42

$1.06 BAM 1.78

86.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$20.94

$1.01 BAM 1.69

22.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.46

$0.76 BAM 1.28

59.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$77.7

$3.94 BAM 6.62

16.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$7.92 BAM 13.30

32.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.56

$0.91 BAM 1.54

85.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$46.84

$1.35 BAM 2.27

105.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.17

$1.31 BAM 2.19

-54.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$502

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.4

$1.79 BAM 3.01

192.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.6

$0.57 BAM 0.96

540.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.7

$10.83 BAM 18.19

-46.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$25.97

$1.53 BAM 2.57

0.65%

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

$22.8K MX$385.0K

$32.0K BAM 53.8K

-28.77%

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

$25.8K MX$435.8K

$22.4K BAM 37.6K

15.24%

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

$90.7 MX$1,531

$123 BAM 206

-26.07%

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

$25.19 MX$425

$16.85 BAM 28.30

49.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$536

$27.72 BAM 46.56

14.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,162

$34.49 BAM 57.9

99.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$496

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.1

$5.57 BAM 9.36

-12.75%

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

$226 MX$3,811

$159 BAM 266

42.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$70.8K

$3,988 BAM 6,698

5.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$800

$60.9 BAM 102

-22.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$734

$33.53 BAM 56.3

29.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,355

$90.4 BAM 152

-11.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,543

$103 BAM 174

-11.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.3K

$349 BAM 586

211.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,900

$261 BAM 438

56.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.3K

$533 BAM 895

270.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.6K

$381 BAM 641

235.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.3K

$2,576 BAM 4,327

57.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.2K

$1,846 BAM 3,100

263.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.3

166.28%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kakanj: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $349 in Kakanj. 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $39.00 in Kakanj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $223 – making Kakanj 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 Kakanj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 33%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,473 in Kakanj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kakanj, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $982 in Kakanj. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $159 in Kakanj. 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 Kakanj, where all-in costs run around $982, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Kakanj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kakanj – 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 Kakanj. 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.