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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $533 in Kandana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $853 in Kandana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,173 in Kandana, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 143% more than Kandana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kandana are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Kandana 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$204

$4.07 LKR 1,357

188.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$725

$25.03 LKR 8,347

66.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$181

$8.32 LKR 2,775

25.12%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.77 LKR 923

30.32%

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

$1.46 MX$25.28

$0.68 LKR 226

114.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.40 LKR 135

142.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.8

$2.35 LKR 785

24.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$80.2

$3.43 LKR 1,145

34.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.76 LKR 587

-18.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.98

$0.52 LKR 172

265.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.18

$0.85 LKR 284

84.71%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.73

$2.19 LKR 729

20.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$146

$13.81 LKR 4,608

-38.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$149

$4.75 LKR 1,584

80.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$191

$7.93 LKR 2,646

38.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.91

$7.26 LKR 2,422

-62.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.15

$1.10 LKR 367

37.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.22

$5.63 LKR 1,878

-66.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.69

$1.21 LKR 403

79.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.53

$1.11 LKR 369

68.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.76

$1.41 LKR 471

58.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.76

$1.20 LKR 402

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.59 LKR 197

81.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$72.2

$10.03 LKR 3,347

-58.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$179

$12.77 LKR 4,261

-19.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.20

$2.00 LKR 668

-16.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.96

$2.84 LKR 946

-10.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.61

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$0.41 LKR 137

680.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.73

$0.32 LKR 108

668.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$0.61 LKR 205

424.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.91

$1.26 LKR 419

4.76%

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

$30.2K MX$523.3K

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

14.28%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$34.5K LKR 11.5M

-32.16%

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

$81.4 MX$1,412

$60.0 LKR 20.0K

35.65%

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

$22.41 MX$389

$4.22 LKR 1,406

431.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$520

$15.33 LKR 5,115

95.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$89.6

$3.25 LKR 1,085

58.77%

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

$202 MX$3,501

$37.27 LKR 12.4K

441.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$92.2K

$448 LKR 149.3K

1086.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$618

$27.99 LKR 9,336

27.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$701

$19.71 LKR 6,573

104.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,365

$70.7 LKR 23.6K

11.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,507

$39.26 LKR 13.1K

121.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,298

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$28.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Kandana: June 16, 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 – $254 in Playa del Carmen vs $255 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 143%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $800 in Kandana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $533 in Kandana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $37.27 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 $533, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.