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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,750 in Karratha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,929 in Karratha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,109 in Karratha, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 53% cheaper than Karratha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Karratha is 99% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$202

$30.86 A$42.73

-61.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$801

$86.4 A$120

-45.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$10.15 A$14.05

15.76%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$69.7

$4.08 A$5.64

0.98%

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

$1.40 MX$23.66

$3.40 A$4.70

-58.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.43

$2.58 A$3.57

-64.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.2

$8.08 A$11.19

-60.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$7.38 A$10.21

-4.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.35

$1.70 A$2.35

-1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.36

$2.79 A$3.86

-22.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.00

$2.32 A$3.21

-23.71%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.60

$5.17 A$7.16

-45.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$9.38 A$12.99

-1.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$156

$9.69 A$13.41

-4.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$14.86 A$20.57

-14.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$49.90

$3.58 A$4.96

-17.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.70

$3.19 A$4.41

-50.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.58

$3.40 A$4.70

-34.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$39.96

$4.76 A$6.59

-50.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.70

$2.64 A$3.65

-24.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.47

$2.42 A$3.35

-18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$20.97

$2.43 A$3.37

-48.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.48

$1.61 A$2.23

-24.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$77.8

$39.80 A$55.1

-88.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$14.38 A$19.91

-26.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.60

$5.02 A$6.95

-66.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$46.91

$5.29 A$7.32

-47.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.19

$3.15 A$4.37

-80.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$502

$87.6 A$121

-66.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.5

$3.65 A$5.05

43.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.7

$1.62 A$2.24

125.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.8

$40.59 A$56.2

-85.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.01

$1.26 A$1.74

22.22%

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

$22.8K MX$385.5K

$28.5K A$39.5K

-20.02%

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

$25.8K MX$436.5K

$31.4K A$43.4K

-17.67%

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

$90.7 MX$1,533

$210 A$291

-56.89%

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

$25.19 MX$426

$28.18 A$39.01

-10.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$537

$58.2 A$80.6

-45.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,163

$58.5 A$80.9

17.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$497

$18.66 A$25.83

57.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.2

$15.66 A$21.69

-68.97%

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

$226 MX$3,816

$2,193 A$3,037

-89.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$70.9K

$21.3K A$29.4K

-80.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$801

$79.3 A$110

-40.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$735

$55.2 A$76.4

-21.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,356

$112 A$156

-28.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,545

$125 A$174

-27.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$1,481 A$2,050

-26.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,910

$1,297 A$1,795

-68.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.3K

$2,256 A$3,124

-12.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$1,848 A$2,559

-30.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.4K

$6,761 A$9,361

-40.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.4K

$5,120 A$7,089

30.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.85

95.73%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Karratha: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,481 in Karratha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $86.0 in Karratha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $377 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Karratha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, $2,750 in Karratha – roughly 111% apart. Karratha costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,124 in Karratha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $2,750 in Karratha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 195% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Karratha at $2,750. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Karratha it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,305 in Playa del Carmen to $2,750 in Karratha. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Karratha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.