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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,398 in Kayfan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,354 in Kayfan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,310 in Kayfan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 7% cheaper than Kayfan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Kayfan is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$9.86 KWD 3.03

18.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$81.6 KWD 25.03

-49.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.81 KWD 2.70

20.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 KWD 1.15

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$6.00 KWD 1.84

-41.33%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.69 KWD 0.21

118.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.34 KWD 0.11

185.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.62 KWD 0.50

-14.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.30 KWD 0.40

45.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.78 KWD 0.55

-7.87%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.06 KWD 0.63

21.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.26 KWD 1.61

58.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.45 KWD 1.98

29.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.39 KWD 3.19

3.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.45 KWD 0.75

6.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.94 KWD 0.60

-24.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.74 KWD 0.53

9.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.43 KWD 0.44

45.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.24 KWD 0.38

43.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.26 KWD 0.39

73.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.68 KWD 0.52

-38.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.45 KWD 0.14

140.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.91 KWD 0.89

40.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.88 KWD 0.27

-42.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$44.51 KWD 13.65

-40.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$3.36 KWD 1.03

-2.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$3.30 KWD 1.01

-24.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$16.44 KWD 5.04

-80.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.33 KWD 0.10

296.97%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$21.7K KWD 6,643

39.79%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$20.0K KWD 6,141

17.01%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$61.8 KWD 18.94

34.16%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$18.22 KWD 5.59

21.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$25.87 KWD 7.93

13.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$94.8 KWD 29.07

-45.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$45.77 KWD 14.04

-59.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$11.41 KWD 3.50

-55.57%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$403 KWD 124

-50.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$6,524 KWD 2,001

-20.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$41.50 KWD 12.73

-11.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$43.28 KWD 13.28

-8.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$87.1 KWD 26.72

-9.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$83.3 KWD 25.53

4.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$780 KWD 239

24.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$619 KWD 190

-24.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,591 KWD 488

3.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,301 KWD 399

-6.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$4,117 KWD 1,263

-83.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.14

59.94%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kayfan: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $780 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 520% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $82.0 in Kayfan. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $180 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 8% 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,096 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.

Public transport costs about 68% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $403 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 $1,297, than in Kayfan at $1,398. 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 $1,297 versus $1,398 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.