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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $517 in Kandana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $859 in Kandana, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,201 in Kandana, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 144% more than Kandana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kandana are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Kandana 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.98 LKR 1,334

194.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$25.03 LKR 8,399

67.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.29 LKR 2,781

26.78%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.70 LKR 907

32.96%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.70 LKR 233

115.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.40 LKR 136

130.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.28 LKR 765

29.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.41 LKR 1,146

29.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.73 LKR 580

-19.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.56 LKR 189

235.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.83 LKR 278

87.95%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.11 LKR 707

23.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$13.95 LKR 4,681

-40.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.58 LKR 1,538

82.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$8.15 LKR 2,734

33.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$7.39 LKR 2,481

-63.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.11 LKR 372

36.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$5.95 LKR 1,998

-68.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.21 LKR 405

80.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.16 LKR 390

60.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.37 LKR 459

62.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.15 LKR 387

-6.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.56 LKR 186

94.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$9.94 LKR 3,335

-57.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$12.63 LKR 4,237

-17.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.01 LKR 676

-17.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.86 LKR 960

-8.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.38 LKR 128

710.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.33 LKR 110

627.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$0.62 LKR 207

404.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.25 LKR 419

4.80%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

9.67%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$34.8K LKR 11.7M

-32.93%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$59.7 LKR 20.0K

36.19%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$4.29 LKR 1,441

425.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$15.35 LKR 5,150

95.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$3.38 LKR 1,133

45.56%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$37.44 LKR 12.6K

436.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$444 LKR 148.9K

1066.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$27.86 LKR 9,350

28.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$19.04 LKR 6,390

110.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$68.2 LKR 22.9K

16.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$38.30 LKR 12.9K

125.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

16.45

-30.58%

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 Kandana: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Kandana. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $256 in Kandana – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kandana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 144%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $776 in Kandana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $517 in Kandana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $37.44 in Kandana. 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 Kandana, where all-in costs run around $517, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Kandana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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 Kandana. 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.