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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $536 in Kandana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $866 in Kandana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,196 in Kandana, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 140% more than Kandana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kandana are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Kandana 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.94 LKR 1,257

203.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$24.82 LKR 7,915

72.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.24 LKR 2,627

28.52%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.64 LKR 841

37.12%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.74 LKR 235

98.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.38 LKR 120

147.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.33 LKR 743

32.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.25 LKR 1,038

37.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.78 LKR 567

-19.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.53 LKR 168

254.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.80 LKR 255

103.75%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.18 LKR 696

21.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$14.01 LKR 4,469

-41.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.60 LKR 1,465

80.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.83 LKR 2,498

41.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$7.55 LKR 2,407

-64.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.11 LKR 355

35.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$5.68 LKR 1,812

-64.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.21 LKR 386

71.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.11 LKR 354

61.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.37 LKR 437

59.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.20 LKR 384

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.60 LKR 191

73.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$10.23 LKR 3,262

-61.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$12.68 LKR 4,045

-19.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.03 LKR 646

-14.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.86 LKR 912

-12.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.39 LKR 123

705.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.35 LKR 112

585.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$0.58 LKR 185

432.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.22 LKR 388

4.10%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$26.5K LKR 8.5M

16.40%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$34.8K LKR 11.1M

-33.02%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$61.1 LKR 19.5K

34.27%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$4.42 LKR 1,411

407.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$15.36 LKR 4,897

93.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$3.31 LKR 1,054

50.15%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$36.31 LKR 11.6K

444.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$446 LKR 142.1K

1083.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$27.14 LKR 8,655

33.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$19.00 LKR 6,060

110.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$70.4 LKR 22.4K

13.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$38.98 LKR 12.4K

128.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Kandana: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Kandana. Groceries tell a different story – $251 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 140%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $804 in Kandana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $536 in Kandana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $36.31 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 $536, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.