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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $504 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $831 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,158 in Katunayaka, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 151% more than Katunayaka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Katunayaka are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Katunayaka 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.53 LKR 1,497

156.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$25.97 LKR 8,588

81.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.81 LKR 2,583

52.11%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.47 LKR 817

61.13%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.74 LKR 244

93.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.25 LKR 82.7

228.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$2.28 LKR 754

39.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.12 LKR 1,033

117.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.56 LKR 517

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.52 LKR 173

323.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$0.81 LKR 267

111.11%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.68 LKR 554

63.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$13.22 LKR 4,372

-27.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.02 LKR 1,659

79.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.19 LKR 2,378

78.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$6.64 LKR 2,194

-56.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$0.90 LKR 297

66.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$4.31 LKR 1,427

-50.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.27 LKR 422

77.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.02 LKR 336

94.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.81 LKR 267

145.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.89 LKR 293

38.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.45 LKR 150

166.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$10.48 LKR 3,465

-56.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$13.99 LKR 4,625

-25.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.91 LKR 631

-15.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.83 LKR 935

1.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.39 LKR 127

1282.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.36 LKR 118

936.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$0.88 LKR 292

555.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.34 LKR 443

14.93%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$30.5K LKR 10.1M

-26.07%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$43.1K LKR 14.3M

-39.57%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$56.1 LKR 18.5K

62.95%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$4.22 LKR 1,397

497.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$20.66 LKR 6,832

51.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$4.48 LKR 1,482

8.48%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$38.01 LKR 12.6K

488.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$1,202 LKR 397.4K

251.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$19.74 LKR 6,527

138.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$16.46 LKR 5,443

169.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$79.6 LKR 26.3K

0.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$42.72 LKR 14.1K

116.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

12.69

-9.77%

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 Katunayaka: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Katunayaka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $236 – making Katunayaka 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 Katunayaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 151%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $756 in Katunayaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $504 in Katunayaka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $38.01 in Katunayaka. 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 Katunayaka, where all-in costs run around $504, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Katunayaka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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.