😐A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,108 in Kamez, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,621 in Kamez, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,135 in Kamez, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 16% more than Kamez, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Kamez are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen4% lower, Kamez17% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Kamez
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$9.53ALL 778
25.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$37.35ALL 3,050
14.46%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$7.00ALL 572
51.29%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$1.94ALL 158
86.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$1.62ALL 133
-9.26%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.81ALL 66.0
16.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$2.42ALL 198
27.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$3.24ALL 265
37.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Kamez
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$2.03ALL 165
-29.56%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$0.92ALL 74.9
104.35%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$1.99ALL 163
-18.09%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$3.06ALL 249
-13.73%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$10.02ALL 818
-18.06%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$7.92ALL 647
4.67%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$13.24ALL 1,081
-16.16%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$1.72ALL 140
54.07%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$2.36ALL 193
-36.44%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$1.66ALL 136
19.88%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$1.39ALL 113
49.64%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$1.01ALL 82.2
77.23%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$1.24ALL 101
75.81%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$1.15ALL 93.8
-6.09%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.73ALL 59.4
42.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$4.00ALL 326
-0.75%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$9.98ALL 815
2.20%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$1.60ALL 130
8.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$1.75ALL 143
42.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Kamez
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$0.49ALL 40.06
6.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
$18.91ALL 1,544
42.62%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$3.47ALL 284
-9.51%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$3.19ALL 261
-24.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$17.64ALL 1,440
-82.48%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$2.14ALL 174
-40.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$34.7KALL 2.8M
-11.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$25.8KALL 2.1M
-9.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Kamez
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$68.2ALL 5,572
20.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$17.12ALL 1,398
31.13%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$15.96ALL 1,303
85.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Kamez
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$55.3ALL 4,514
-6.19%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
$25.70ALL 2,098
-27.35%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$8.09ALL 660
-38.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Kamez
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$160ALL 13.1K
23.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$5,617ALL 458.6K
-6.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Kamez
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$46.26ALL 3,777
-21.44%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$50.3ALL 4,105
-20.33%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$94.7ALL 7,730
-15.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$127ALL 10.4K
-29.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Kamez
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$451ALL 36.8K
113.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$346ALL 28.3K
34.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$606ALL 49.5K
163.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$439ALL 35.9K
175.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
$1,980ALL 161.7K
99.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
$1,084ALL 88.5K
495.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Kamez
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
-
-
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: April 25, 2026
Last update for Kamez: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Kamez. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $246 – 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 Kamez compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $1,108 in Kamez – roughly 16% 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,662 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 2% 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 $43.00 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 $1,108, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $1,108 in Kamez to $1,287 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