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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $520 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $856 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,192 in Katunayaka, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 144% 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 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$4.07 LKR 1,359

191.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$24.94 LKR 8,320

72.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.14 LKR 2,714

30.84%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.77 LKR 923

24.55%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.70 LKR 233

114.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.38 LKR 125

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.37 LKR 791

27.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.31 LKR 1,106

39.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.77 LKR 591

-22.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.56 LKR 187

230.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.82 LKR 273

96.34%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.15 LKR 717

20.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$13.84 LKR 4,617

-40.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.60 LKR 1,533

81.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$8.24 LKR 2,748

29.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$7.45 LKR 2,485

-64.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.10 LKR 369

35.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$5.85 LKR 1,952

-67.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.20 LKR 401

74.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.10 LKR 368

69.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.37 LKR 457

64.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.20 LKR 402

-11.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.59 LKR 197

84.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$9.89 LKR 3,301

-58.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$12.63 LKR 4,214

-17.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.08 LKR 695

-17.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.83 LKR 942

-7.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.41 LKR 137

663.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.33 LKR 109

660.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$0.57 LKR 190

452.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.20 LKR 399

5.83%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$26.7K LKR 8.9M

13.75%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$34.4K LKR 11.5M

-31.58%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$60.7 LKR 20.2K

36.81%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$4.21 LKR 1,405

439.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$15.30 LKR 5,103

92.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$3.41 LKR 1,136

44.57%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$36.21 LKR 12.1K

444.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$434 LKR 144.8K

1116.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$27.54 LKR 9,185

33.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$19.17 LKR 6,395

108.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$70.3 LKR 23.4K

13.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$38.82 LKR 12.9K

130.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Katunayaka: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Katunayaka. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $257 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 144%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $780 in Katunayaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $520 in Katunayaka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $36.21 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 $520, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.