Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Kalush

For one person, living is cheaper in Kalush: $593 a month against $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Kalush, Ukraine
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Kalush
🇺🇦 Ukraine
$593
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Kalush

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Kalush actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $593 in Kalush, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,202
  • Kalush $593

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $996 in Kalush, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Kalush $996

A family of three spends $2,962 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,398 in Kalush, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,962
  • Kalush $1,398

Playa del Carmen costs about 103% more than Kalush, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kalush are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Kalush 56% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Kalush
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.67 MX$200
$6.44 ₴293
65.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.80 MX$823
$12.04 ₴548
263.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 MX$221
$5.37 ₴245
119.55%
Cappuccino
$3.79 MX$71.1
$0.95 ₴43.10
298.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 MX$24.36
$0.59 ₴27.08
120.34%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$15.65
$0.42 ₴19.17
97.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 MX$59.1
$1.09 ₴49.60
188.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$1.67 ₴76.1
195.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Kalush
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.46
$1.15 ₴52.4
22.61%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$41.23
$0.62 ₴28.28
254.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$27.66
$1.37 ₴62.5
7.30%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$46.89
$1.42 ₴64.9
76.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.29 MX$137
$8.63 ₴393
-15.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.95 MX$149
$4.37 ₴199
81.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.86 MX$242
$7.09 ₴323
81.38%
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 MX$54.4
$1.06 ₴48.49
173.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 MX$25.98
$1.55 ₴70.7
-10.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.49 MX$46.78
$1.57 ₴71.7
58.60%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 MX$38.12
$2.15 ₴97.9
-5.58%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$38.03
$0.74 ₴33.84
172.97%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 MX$35.74
$0.44 ₴20.26
331.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.49
$1.17 ₴53.4
-2.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 MX$23.27
$0.53 ₴24.14
133.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MX$80.2
$3.14 ₴143
35.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.81 MX$184
$4.30 ₴196
128.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.78
$0.83 ₴37.91
91.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 MX$51.6
$1.43 ₴65.2
92.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Kalush
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$9.67
$0.31 ₴14.31
64.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.39 MX$514
$15.05 ₴685
81.99%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.76 MX$89.4
$1.11 ₴50.8
328.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.25 MX$61.0
$0.35 ₴15.98
828.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$101
$4.25 ₴193
26.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 MX$28.70
$1.33 ₴60.4
15.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$398.4K
$34.0K ₴1.5M
-37.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$436.9K
$21.4K ₴976.6K
8.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Kalush
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.5 MX$1,568
$84.3 ₴3,838
-0.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.19 MX$435
$4.77 ₴217
386.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.61 MX$519
$3.86 ₴176
615.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Kalush
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,060
$26.19 ₴1,193
115.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.19 MX$529
$15.23 ₴694
85.10%
Cinema Ticket
$5.00 MX$93.9
$4.35 ₴198
14.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Kalush
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,889
$280 ₴12.8K
-26.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,231 MX$98.2K
$4,084 ₴186.0K
28.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Kalush
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.45 MX$816
$53.7 ₴2,447
-19.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.54 MX$799
$36.34 ₴1,655
17.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.8 MX$1,367
$74.6 ₴3,398
-2.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 MX$1,660
$74.6 ₴3,398
18.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Kalush
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 MX$18.7K
$129 ₴5,880
670.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$382 MX$7,181
$87.5 ₴3,983
337.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 MX$31.4K
$249 ₴11.4K
571.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 MX$20.3K
$319 ₴14.5K
238.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,909 MX$73.4K
$1,130 ₴51.5K
245.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,138 MX$115.3K
$850 ₴38.7K
622.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Kalush
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$832 MX$15.6K
$261 ₴11.9K
218.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
17.6
-34.94%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Last update for Kalush: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$382
Kalush
$87 77.1% $295
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$257
Kalush
$159 38.1% $98
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Kalush
$92 54.1% $108
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$134
Kalush
$93 30.8% $41
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$111
Kalush
$108 3.2% $3.5
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$66
Kalush
$35 47.5% $32
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Kalush
$19 62% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Playa del Carmen versus $129 in Kalush. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Playa del Carmen are about 3.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Playa del Carmen versus $12 in Kalush. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $159 – making Kalush the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇺🇦 Kalush
🕒 Local time
03:30 3:30 AM
10:30 10:30 AM
7 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
67,559
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

UAH, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.78 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 21.09 MXN (100 MXN = 4.74 EUR).

Ukrainian Hryvnia exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 45.54 UAH (100 UAH = 2.2 USD). 1 EUR = 51.14 UAH (100 UAH = 1.96 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Kalush 9,740 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Kalush

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kalush: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kalush cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 103%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,804 per month in Playa del Carmen and $890 in Kalush. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kalush, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $129 there versus $995 in Playa del Carmen.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or in Kalush?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Playa del Carmen and $12 in Kalush. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Kalush?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen and $593 in Kalush. That makes Kalush about 51% cheaper.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Kalush?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kalush, where all-in costs run around $593, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,202. In Kalush it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Kalush?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $593 in Kalush to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Kalush. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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