😐A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,103 in Kamez, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,645 in Kamez, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,188 in Kamez, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 14% more than Kamez, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Kamez are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen5% lower, Kamez17% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Kamez
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.72MX$203
$9.62ALL 782
21.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.89MX$725
$37.05ALL 3,010
13.06%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.51MX$182
$7.17ALL 582
46.58%
Cappuccino
$3.59MX$62.0
$1.97ALL 160
82.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51MX$26.10
$1.59ALL 130
-5.03%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92MX$15.83
$0.88ALL 71.1
4.55%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.96MX$51.2
$2.31ALL 188
28.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41MX$76.3
$3.23ALL 263
36.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Kamez
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.40MX$24.16
$1.97ALL 160
-28.93%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.60
$0.86ALL 69.7
118.60%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.56MX$26.97
$2.01ALL 164
-22.39%
Eggs
$2.61MX$45.14
$3.01ALL 244
-13.29%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.32MX$144
$9.57ALL 778
-13.06%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.35MX$145
$7.84ALL 637
6.51%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.86MX$188
$13.33ALL 1,083
-18.53%
Apples(1kg)
$2.71MX$46.93
$1.77ALL 144
53.11%
Banana(1kg)
$1.51MX$26.04
$2.42ALL 197
-37.60%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.87MX$32.41
$1.73ALL 141
8.09%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.19MX$37.89
$1.39ALL 113
57.55%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$32.14
$1.01ALL 82.0
84.16%
Onion(1kg)
$2.23MX$38.59
$1.19ALL 96.7
87.39%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.07MX$18.48
$1.11ALL 90.1
-3.60%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.79
$0.72ALL 58.5
51.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19MX$72.4
$4.08ALL 332
2.70%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.43MX$180
$9.92ALL 806
5.14%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66MX$28.68
$1.62ALL 132
2.47%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$45.19
$1.75ALL 142
49.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Kamez
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.37
$0.49ALL 39.87
10.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.16MX$453
$18.65ALL 1,515
40.27%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.08MX$53.3
$3.41ALL 277
-9.68%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.61
$3.09ALL 251
-22.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$54.1
$17.85ALL 1,450
-82.46%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31MX$22.69
$2.13ALL 173
-38.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8KMX$515.7K
$34.2KALL 2.8M
-12.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$403.5K
$24.9KALL 2.0M
-6.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Kamez
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$81.3MX$1,406
$68.1ALL 5,537
19.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.56MX$390
$17.44ALL 1,417
29.36%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.05MX$520
$15.81ALL 1,285
90.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Kamez
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.9MX$915
$54.5ALL 4,425
-2.85%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39MX$318
$25.05ALL 2,035
-26.59%
Cinema Ticket
$4.92MX$85.1
$8.21ALL 667
-40.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Kamez
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$201MX$3,474
$158ALL 12.9K
26.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,175MX$89.5K
$5,626ALL 457.1K
-8.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Kamez
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.92MX$622
$47.78ALL 3,882
-24.82%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.13MX$694
$49.88ALL 4,053
-19.55%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.7MX$1,379
$94.0ALL 7,639
-15.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5MX$1,496
$131ALL 10.6K
-33.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Kamez
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$978MX$16.9K
$451ALL 36.6K
116.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$470MX$8,140
$344ALL 28.0K
36.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,651MX$28.6K
$621ALL 50.4K
166.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,203MX$20.8K
$432ALL 35.1K
178.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,953MX$68.4K
$1,761ALL 143.1K
124.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,607MX$114.3K
$1,103ALL 89.6K
499.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Kamez
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$677MX$11.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
4
185.50%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026
Last update for Kamez: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $451 in Kamez. 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 $37.00 in Kamez. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $243 – making Kamez 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 Kamez: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and in Kamez compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $1,103 in Kamez – roughly 14% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Kamez?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,655 in Kamez. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Playa del Carmen and Kamez?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kamez, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 3% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $37.00 in Kamez. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kamez, where all-in costs run around $1,103, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Kamez it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Kamez?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,103 in Kamez to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Playa del Carmen or Kamez safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Playa del Carmen and Kamez?
If budget matters most, go with Kamez. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared