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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $920 in Kakanj, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,439 in Kakanj, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,959 in Kakanj, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 41% more than Kakanj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kakanj are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Kakanj 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.29 BAM 12.25

60.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$35.74 BAM 60.1

16.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.86 BAM 9.85

81.57%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.65 BAM 2.77

113.33%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.73 BAM 2.91

-12.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.15 BAM 1.93

-15.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.03 BAM 3.41

45.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.12 BAM 3.56

109.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.36 BAM 2.29

1.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.25 BAM 2.10

51.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.77 BAM 2.97

-7.34%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.87 BAM 4.82

-12.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.93 BAM 13.33

5.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.68 BAM 12.91

8.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.86 BAM 19.93

-9.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.43 BAM 2.41

81.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.62 BAM 2.73

-9.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.90 BAM 3.19

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.73 BAM 2.91

20.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.07 BAM 1.80

66.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.21 BAM 2.04

80.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.12 BAM 1.88

-7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.77 BAM 1.29

40.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.56 BAM 5.98

14.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$6.74 BAM 11.33

53.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$0.86 BAM 1.45

98.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.23 BAM 2.06

109.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.84 BAM 3.10

-72.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$35.26 BAM 59.2

-24.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.46 BAM 2.45

123.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.83 BAM 1.39

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$9.11 BAM 15.30

-64.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.52 BAM 2.56

-13.82%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$26.5K BAM 44.5K

14.32%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$26.3K BAM 44.3K

-11.06%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$158 BAM 265

-47.47%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$18.52 BAM 31.11

19.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$23.85 BAM 40.06

23.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$29.56 BAM 49.66

74.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$10.72 BAM 18.00

70.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.67 BAM 9.53

-10.58%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$170 BAM 286

18.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,374 BAM 5,669

54.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$69.4 BAM 117

-46.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$35.24 BAM 59.2

12.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$88.6 BAM 149

-11.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$117 BAM 197

-25.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$259 BAM 435

275.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$167 BAM 280

180.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$362 BAM 608

353.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$314 BAM 527

288.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,753 BAM 4,626

43.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$2,066 BAM 3,471

214.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kakanj: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $259 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 $215 – 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 41%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,379 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 33% less in Kakanj. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $170 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 $920, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.