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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $478 in Kampot, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $747 in Kampot, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,017 in Kampot, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 165% more than Kampot, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kampot are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Kampot 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.03 ៛12.3K

282.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$19.87 ៛80.4K

137.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.56 ៛22.5K

113.67%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.78 ៛7,195

123.60%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.98 ៛3,949

45.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.84 ៛3,400

-2.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.35 ៛5,464

136.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.98 ៛8,003

242.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.33 ៛9,413

-27.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.79 ៛7,230

53.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$17.48 ៛70.8K

-26.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.09 ៛4,393

37.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.24 ៛4,999

59.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.73 ៛2,939

64.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$14.76 ៛59.7K

-29.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.08 ៛4,375

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$2.02 ៛8,192

-70.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$2.02 ៛8,175

166.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.25 ៛5,060

198.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.41 ៛5,725

9.22%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$54.5 ៛220.6K

67.73%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$7.20 ៛29.1K

250.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$20.73 ៛83.9K

50.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$213 ៛862.6K

398.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$167 ៛675.9K

133.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$404 ៛1.6M

432.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$336 ៛1.4M

279.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$149 ៛604.6K

407.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Kampot: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $213 in Kampot. 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 408% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $20.00 in Kampot. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $137 – making Kampot 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 Kampot: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 165% more than Kampot, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $717 in Kampot. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kampot, 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $478 in Kampot. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 102% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kampot, where all-in costs run around $478, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Kampot it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kampot costs $478 versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kampot. 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.