Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Kauai, Hawaii Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Kauai, Hawaii

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,527 in Kauai, Hawaii.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,130 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,714 in Kauai, Hawaii.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,999 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,900 in Kauai, Hawaii.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 50% less than in Kauai, Hawaii, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Kauai, Hawaii is 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$18.98 $18.98

-38.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$75.4 $75.4

-44.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$10.84 $10.84

-4.06%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$5.05 $5.05

-28.51%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$2.60 $2.60

-43.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$2.04 $2.04

-55.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$5.86 $5.86

-48.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$7.07 $7.07

-36.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.01 $1.01

36.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$3.55 $3.55

-48.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$4.39 $4.39

-63.33%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$4.09 $4.09

-37.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$12.02 $12.02

-29.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$11.36 $11.36

-25.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$15.66 $15.66

-29.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$4.83 $4.83

-43.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.61 $1.61

-6.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$4.23 $4.23

-53.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$4.62 $4.62

-54.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$2.80 $2.80

-33.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$2.78 $2.78

-21.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$2.12 $2.12

-49.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$2.09 $2.09

-49.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$9.38 $9.38

-55.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$13.84 $13.84

-25.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.79 $1.79

-6.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$3.39 $3.39

-26.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.98 $1.98

-72.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$3.55 $3.55

-12.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$1.60 $1.60

53.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$28.87 $28.87

-88.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$0.84 $0.84

50.00%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$30.0K $30.0K

0.40%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$26.0K $26.0K

-9.87%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$184 $184

-54.31%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$52.2 $52.2

-57.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$67.9 $67.9

-56.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$42.69 $42.69

23.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$13.32 $13.32

-62.84%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$1,288 $1,288

-84.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$23.9K $23.9K

-77.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$51.9 $51.9

-30.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$39.82 $39.82

0.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$86.8 $86.8

-9.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$111 $111

-22.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$1,571 $1,571

-37.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$1,371 $1,371

-65.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$2,602 $2,602

-38.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$2,190 $2,190

-44.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$2,728 $2,728

47.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$2,465 $2,465

166.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.51

75.42%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Kauai, Hawaii: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Playa del Carmen and $1,571 in Kauai, Hawaii. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42 in Playa del Carmen vs $75 in Kauai, Hawaii for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $384 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Kauai, Hawaii: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 100% lower than in Kauai, Hawaii. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,891 in Playa del Carmen and $3,791 in Kauai, Hawaii to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,571 in Kauai, Hawaii. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Kauai, Hawaii. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,527 in Kauai, Hawaii – a 100% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,527 in Kauai, Hawaii, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Kauai, Hawaii. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,261 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Kauai, Hawaii 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 100% less than in Kauai, Hawaii. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.