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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $984 in Kastamonu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,612 in Kastamonu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,240 in Kastamonu.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 29% more expensive than in Kastamonu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Kastamonu 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$8.01 ₺391

44.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$62.9 ₺3,068

-25.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.60 ₺371

56.32%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$3.26 ₺159

22.09%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.97 ₺47.24

47.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.25 ₺12.11

228.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.94 ₺94.4

64.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.69 ₺131

152.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.17 ₺57.1

43.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.73 ₺84.4

27.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$2.82 ₺137

-39.36%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.99 ₺97.3

37.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.81 ₺429

8.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.99 ₺194

125.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$24.12 ₺1,176

-46.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$2.44 ₺119

18.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.83 ₺89.0

-18.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.53 ₺74.7

40.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.02 ₺49.71

121.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$0.32 ₺15.70

518.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.26 ₺12.60

665.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.79 ₺38.76

55.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.62 ₺30.06

93.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.03 ₺99.1

124.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$9.15 ₺446

13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.69 ₺82.6

-4.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.33 ₺114

23.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.74 ₺35.97

-18.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$34.02 ₺1,659

-15.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$1.88 ₺91.9

186.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.58 ₺28.07

543.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$5.27 ₺257

9.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.24 ₺60.3

24.19%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$42.0K ₺2.0M

-46.32%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$41.0K ₺2.0M

-36.43%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$90.2 ₺4,396

1.35%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$4.27 ₺208

490.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$12.61 ₺615

147.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$51.9 ₺2,531

29.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$3.19 ₺155

812.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$4.07 ₺199

19.41%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$255 ₺12.4K

-12.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$12.0K ₺583.4K

-64.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$27.45 ₺1,338

71.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$30.86 ₺1,505

43.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$72.9 ₺3,555

9.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$49.37 ₺2,407

87.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$406 ₺19.8K

161.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$307 ₺15.0K

27.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$779 ₺38.0K

175.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$580 ₺28.3K

119.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$1,314 ₺64.1K

204.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,014 ₺49.4K

541.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,289 ₺62.9K

-41.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-76.63%

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 Kastamonu: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $406 in Kastamonu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kastamonu pays 70% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $63.0 in Kastamonu. Groceries flip the comparison at $276 vs $245, with Kastamonu cheaper for home cooking.

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 Kastamonu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Kastamonu differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $984 including rent). Kastamonu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 70% lower in Kastamonu. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $406 in Kastamonu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $984 in Kastamonu – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kastamonu runs roughly 18% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $984 in Kastamonu versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kastamonu but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Kastamonu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Kastamonu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kastamonu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.