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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $934 in Kakanj, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,465 in Kakanj, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,996 in Kakanj, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 35% more than Kakanj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kakanj are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Kakanj 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$7.24 BAM 12.39

65.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$35.97 BAM 61.6

16.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.72 BAM 9.80

87.94%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.59 BAM 2.72

120.13%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.81 BAM 3.10

-19.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.16 BAM 1.98

-24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.02 BAM 3.45

46.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.03 BAM 3.48

122.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.42 BAM 2.43

0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.26 BAM 2.16

46.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.75 BAM 2.99

-10.29%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.00 BAM 5.15

-16.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$7.76 BAM 13.29

6.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$7.75 BAM 13.27

8.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$12.21 BAM 20.91

-12.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.40 BAM 2.40

86.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.66 BAM 2.84

-13.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.91 BAM 3.27

2.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.73 BAM 2.97

20.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.08 BAM 1.85

71.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.15 BAM 1.97

88.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.16 BAM 1.99

-11.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.76 BAM 1.30

40.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.58 BAM 6.13

14.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$8.22 BAM 14.07

23.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.91 BAM 1.56

84.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.21 BAM 2.07

109.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.82 BAM 3.12

-71.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$35.38 BAM 60.6

-26.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.43 BAM 2.45

125.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.78 BAM 1.34

208.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$9.00 BAM 15.41

-64.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.52 BAM 2.60

-13.16%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$26.6K BAM 45.5K

11.73%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$26.1K BAM 44.7K

-9.29%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$162 BAM 277

-49.37%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$19.11 BAM 32.72

20.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$23.48 BAM 40.22

28.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$29.09 BAM 49.82

78.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$10.85 BAM 18.58

70.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.72 BAM 9.79

-12.94%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$171 BAM 294

15.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$3,325 BAM 5,695

60.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$70.0 BAM 120

-49.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$35.30 BAM 60.5

14.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$89.0 BAM 152

-11.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$119 BAM 204

-25.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$260 BAM 445

264.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$166 BAM 285

185.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$363 BAM 622

352.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$312 BAM 534

287.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,740 BAM 4,692

48.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,867 BAM 3,198

246.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.23

169.98%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kakanj: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $260 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $36.00 in Kakanj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $220 – 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 35%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,401 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.

Public transport costs about 36% less in Kakanj. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $171 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 $934, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.