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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $515 in Kandana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $844 in Kandana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,173 in Kandana, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 146% more than Kandana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kandana are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Kandana 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.34 LKR 1,434

167.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$25.55 LKR 8,447

84.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.43 LKR 2,456

59.89%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.57 LKR 850

54.86%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.74 LKR 246

93.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.27 LKR 90.0

203.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$2.21 LKR 731

44.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.12 LKR 1,032

117.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.64 LKR 541

2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.57 LKR 189

285.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$0.80 LKR 264

113.75%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.66 LKR 548

65.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$13.30 LKR 4,398

-27.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.06 LKR 1,672

78.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.19 LKR 2,376

78.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$6.92 LKR 2,289

-58.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$0.82 LKR 271

82.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$4.16 LKR 1,375

-48.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.28 LKR 424

76.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.04 LKR 345

90.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.80 LKR 264

148.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.94 LKR 310

30.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.45 LKR 150

166.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$10.46 LKR 3,457

-56.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$13.53 LKR 4,472

-23.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.92 LKR 634

-15.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.87 LKR 949

0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.42 LKR 138

1183.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.38 LKR 127

881.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$0.90 LKR 296

541.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.30 LKR 429

18.46%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$31.0K LKR 10.3M

-27.28%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$42.1K LKR 13.9M

-38.08%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$56.3 LKR 18.6K

62.22%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$4.19 LKR 1,385

501.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$21.08 LKR 6,971

48.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$4.29 LKR 1,418

13.29%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$37.67 LKR 12.5K

493.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$1,218 LKR 402.6K

247.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$19.77 LKR 6,537

138.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$17.04 LKR 5,635

159.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$80.2 LKR 26.5K

-0.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$41.75 LKR 13.8K

121.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

12.69

-9.77%

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 Kandana: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Kandana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $238 – making Kandana 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 Kandana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 146%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $773 in Kandana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $515 in Kandana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $37.67 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 $515, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.