😐A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $517 in Katunayaka, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $844 in Katunayaka, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,171 in Katunayaka, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 149% more than Katunayaka, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Katunayaka are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen4% lower, Katunayaka61% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Katunayaka
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$4.03LKR 1,286
196.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$25.50LKR 8,132
67.65%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$8.20LKR 2,617
29.15%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$2.76LKR 880
31.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$0.69LKR 221
113.04%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.40LKR 128
135.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$2.27LKR 724
36.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$3.43LKR 1,095
30.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Katunayaka
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.75LKR 558
-18.29%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$0.55LKR 177
241.82%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$0.86LKR 276
89.53%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$2.19LKR 698
20.55%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$14.32LKR 4,567
-42.67%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$4.79LKR 1,526
73.07%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$7.83LKR 2,497
41.76%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$7.66LKR 2,443
-65.40%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$1.11LKR 355
35.14%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$5.76LKR 1,838
-65.45%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$1.20LKR 382
73.33%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$1.11LKR 354
61.26%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$1.40LKR 447
55.71%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$1.16LKR 369
-6.90%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.56LKR 179
85.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$10.17LKR 3,244
-60.96%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$12.49LKR 3,985
-18.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$2.09LKR 667
-17.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$2.84LKR 904
-11.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Katunayaka
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$0.42LKR 133
647.62%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$0.33LKR 105
627.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$0.60LKR 192
415.00%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$1.20LKR 383
5.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$27.0KLKR 8.6M
14.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$34.3KLKR 11.0M
-32.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Katunayaka
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$60.5LKR 19.3K
35.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$4.40LKR 1,403
410.23%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$14.89LKR 4,750
99.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Katunayaka
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$3.27LKR 1,044
51.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Katunayaka
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$36.58LKR 11.7K
440.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$447LKR 142.7K
1078.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Katunayaka
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$27.72LKR 8,839
31.10%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$19.13LKR 6,100
109.36%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$69.5LKR 22.2K
15.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$38.20LKR 12.2K
132.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Katunayaka
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Katunayaka
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
16.45
-30.58%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Katunayaka: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Katunayaka. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $258 in Katunayaka – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Katunayaka: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Katunayaka cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 149%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $776 in Katunayaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Katunayaka?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $517 in Katunayaka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $36.58 in Katunayaka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Katunayaka?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Katunayaka, where all-in costs run around $517, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Katunayaka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Katunayaka more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Katunayaka – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Katunayaka. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado