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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $361 in Kawasoti.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $604 in Kawasoti.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $847 in Kawasoti.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 257% more expensive than Kawasoti, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Kawasoti 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$1.81 NPR 273

559.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$19.18 NPR 2,903

122.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$6.65 NPR 1,006

59.25%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$1.86 NPR 281

94.62%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.51 NPR 76.7

188.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.16 NPR 24.52

487.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$2.57 NPR 389

20.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$3.56 NPR 539

25.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$0.87 NPR 132

64.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$0.55 NPR 83.5

241.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$0.93 NPR 141

75.27%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$1.82 NPR 276

45.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$9.13 NPR 1,382

-10.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$2.88 NPR 435

187.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$6.06 NPR 917

83.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$2.30 NPR 348

15.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$0.84 NPR 128

78.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$0.76 NPR 115

161.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$0.53 NPR 80.9

292.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$0.37 NPR 56.2

383.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$0.52 NPR 79.2

319.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$0.35 NPR 52.9

208.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.25 NPR 37.43

316.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$2.89 NPR 437

37.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$2.63 NPR 398

287.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$2.28 NPR 345

-24.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$2.99 NPR 453

-16.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.23 NPR 34.29

126.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.76 NPR 115

313.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.93 NPR 141

158.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$2.20 NPR 333

40.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.21 NPR 183

4.96%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$31.4K NPR 4.8M

-1.65%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$40.9K NPR 6.2M

-43.04%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$18.18 NPR 2,752

351.10%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$3.67 NPR 555

511.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$7.36 NPR 1,114

302.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$18.17 NPR 2,751

185.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$7.42 NPR 1,123

151.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$1.87 NPR 282

165.78%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$91.1 NPR 13.8K

117.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$3,845 NPR 582.1K

37.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$14.64 NPR 2,217

148.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$10.81 NPR 1,637

270.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$21.51 NPR 3,256

271.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$10.93 NPR 1,655

713.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$103 NPR 15.6K

834.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$62.6 NPR 9,479

642.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$203 NPR 30.7K

687.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$144 NPR 21.8K

738.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$236 NPR 35.8K

204.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-4.83%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Kawasoti: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $103 in Kawasoti. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 205% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $19.00 in Kawasoti for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $137 per month, with Kawasoti 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 Kawasoti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Kawasoti differ by about 257% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $361 including rent). Kawasoti is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 205% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $103 in Kawasoti. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 83% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $361 in Kawasoti – a 257% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $361 in Kawasoti versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kawasoti but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Kawasoti the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Kawasoti 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 Kawasoti gentler on the wallet – expenses run 257% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.