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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $698 in Kalush, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,065 in Kalush, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,431 in Kalush, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 84% more than Kalush, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kalush are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Kalush 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$7.19 ₴317

66.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$24.53 ₴1,081

74.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$5.86 ₴258

80.72%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.16 ₴51.2

212.07%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.65 ₴28.45

126.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.44 ₴19.42

113.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$0.96 ₴42.46

221.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.44 ₴63.4

209.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.08 ₴47.74

32.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.60 ₴26.48

213.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.25 ₴55.3

30.40%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.56 ₴68.6

69.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$8.23 ₴363

-0.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.83 ₴169

116.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$6.62 ₴292

67.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$0.80 ₴35.37

231.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.51 ₴66.6

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.64 ₴72.5

21.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.10 ₴92.6

-0.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.64 ₴28.38

179.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.57 ₴25.02

282.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.25 ₴55.2

-13.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.50 ₴21.95

108.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.55 ₴112

55.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$4.47 ₴197

128.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$0.80 ₴35.24

116.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.30 ₴57.2

92.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.35 ₴15.22

48.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.82 ₴80.2

72.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.23 ₴10.11

943.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$2.97 ₴131

4.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.38 ₴60.9

-7.97%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$30.8K ₴1.4M

0.18%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$24.9K ₴1.1M

-6.51%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$85.3 ₴3,758

-3.83%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$5.23 ₴231

329.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$6.02 ₴266

392.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$24.40 ₴1,075

112.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$9.39 ₴414

98.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$3.75 ₴165

32.53%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$275 ₴12.1K

-28.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,434 ₴151.4K

53.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$47.89 ₴2,110

-24.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$33.34 ₴1,469

20.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$77.0 ₴3,391

3.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$87.7 ₴3,865

1.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$268 ₴11.8K

258.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$202 ₴8,886

130.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$433 ₴19.1K

268.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$319 ₴14.0K

279.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,039 ₴45.8K

279.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$750 ₴33.0K

760.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$272 ₴12.0K

164.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

16.17

-29.38%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Kalush: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $268 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 run about 165% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Kalush. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $152 – making Kalush 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 Kalush: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 84%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,048 in Kalush. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kalush, 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $698 in Kalush. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $275 in Kalush. 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 Kalush, where all-in costs run around $698, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Kalush it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kalush – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Kalush. 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.