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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,316 in Kayfan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,247 in Kayfan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,177 in Kayfan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 4% cheaper than Kayfan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kayfan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Kayfan 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$11.21 KWD 3.44

3.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$65.4 KWD 20.09

-27.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$8.77 KWD 2.70

35.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 KWD 0.98

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.88 KWD 1.50

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$5.13 KWD 1.58

-22.42%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$0.76 KWD 0.23

88.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.31 KWD 0.10

164.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.65 KWD 0.51

1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$1.48 KWD 0.45

48.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.92 KWD 0.59

-10.94%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$2.12 KWD 0.65

29.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$4.34 KWD 1.34

120.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.79 KWD 2.09

32.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$10.44 KWD 3.21

22.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$2.43 KWD 0.75

18.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.86 KWD 0.57

-19.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$1.87 KWD 0.57

14.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$1.55 KWD 0.48

45.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$1.33 KWD 0.41

48.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$1.44 KWD 0.44

38.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$2.26 KWD 0.70

-45.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.59 KWD 0.18

103.39%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.26 KWD 1.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 KWD 0.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$2.70 KWD 0.83

68.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$0.85 KWD 0.26

-29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$4.80 KWD 1.48

12.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$3.31 KWD 1.02

12.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$15.95 KWD 4.90

-63.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$0.36 KWD 0.11

327.78%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$20.8K KWD 6,399

8.29%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$20.2K KWD 6,211

28.93%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$66.9 KWD 20.54

36.69%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$22.58 KWD 6.94

11.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$29.99 KWD 9.22

4.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$99.6 KWD 30.59

-32.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$11.49 KWD 3.53

-57.70%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$300 KWD 92.1

-25.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$9,516 KWD 2,924

-55.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$37.08 KWD 11.39

27.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$40.11 KWD 12.33

10.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$96.5 KWD 29.64

-16.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$89.7 KWD 27.58

3.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$823 KWD 253

29.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$583 KWD 179

-33.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$1,695 KWD 521

26.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$1,409 KWD 433

-9.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$4,064 KWD 1,249

-81.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.53

75.34%

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 Kayfan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $823 in Kayfan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 436% higher in Kayfan, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $65.0 in Kayfan. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $187 in Kayfan – so Kayfan 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 Kayfan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kayfan costs about 4% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,975 in Kayfan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,316 in Kayfan. 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 $300 in Kayfan. 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Kayfan at $1,316. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kayfan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,266 versus $1,316 in Kayfan. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kayfan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.