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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $534 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $861 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,187 in Katunayaka, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 136% more than Katunayaka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Katunayaka are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Katunayaka 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$4.12 LKR 1,382

184.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$726

$25.47 LKR 8,540

64.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.39 LKR 2,814

25.27%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.1

$2.65 LKR 890

35.47%

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

$1.51 MX$26.13

$0.68 LKR 229

122.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.86

$0.37 LKR 125

148.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.29 LKR 767

29.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.4

$3.32 LKR 1,114

32.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.19

$1.70 LKR 572

-17.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.65

$0.52 LKR 173

261.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.01

$0.80 LKR 269

95.00%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.20

$2.14 LKR 718

21.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$14.03 LKR 4,705

-40.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.74 LKR 1,588

76.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.87 LKR 2,638

37.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.00

$7.47 LKR 2,504

-63.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.08

$1.10 LKR 370

37.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.46

$5.74 LKR 1,925

-67.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.94

$1.25 LKR 418

75.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.18

$1.15 LKR 385

61.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.64

$1.42 LKR 475

57.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.51

$1.19 LKR 398

-10.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.82

$0.60 LKR 200

81.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.5

$9.97 LKR 3,344

-57.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$181

$12.74 LKR 4,273

-18.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.72

$2.03 LKR 682

-18.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.26

$2.92 LKR 980

-10.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.39

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.39 LKR 130

689.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.66

$0.36 LKR 119

566.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.2

$0.57 LKR 191

449.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.72

$1.26 LKR 423

3.97%

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

$29.8K MX$516.4K

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

10.12%

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

$23.3K MX$404.1K

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

-33.41%

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

$81.3 MX$1,408

$60.1 LKR 20.2K

35.20%

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

$22.56 MX$391

$4.25 LKR 1,427

430.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$521

$14.86 LKR 4,983

102.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$917

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.2

$3.27 LKR 1,096

50.46%

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

$201 MX$3,479

$37.44 LKR 12.6K

436.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.7K

$448 LKR 150.1K

1056.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$27.75 LKR 9,304

29.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$695

$19.66 LKR 6,593

104.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,381

$70.3 LKR 23.6K

13.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,498

$38.11 LKR 12.8K

126.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,152

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Katunayaka: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Katunayaka. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $256 in Katunayaka – 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 Katunayaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 136%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $801 in Katunayaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $534 in Katunayaka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $37.44 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 $534, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.