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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $528 in Kelachay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $836 in Kelachay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,144 in Kelachay, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 145% more than Kelachay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kelachay are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Kelachay 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$3.28 $3.28

257.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$15.97 $15.97

191.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$3.95 $3.95

194.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 $0.82

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 $1.15

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$1.02 $1.02

300.98%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.53 $0.53

158.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.87 $0.87

-4.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$0.68 $0.68

154.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$0.49 $0.49

361.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$1.99 $1.99

-11.06%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$1.19 $1.19

129.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$3.62 $3.62

153.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$3.18 $3.18

180.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$9.99 $9.99

26.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$0.97 $0.97

211.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$1.53 $1.53

2.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$0.81 $0.81

162.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$0.60 $0.60

276.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$0.51 $0.51

292.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$0.48 $0.48

329.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.55 $0.55

114.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.22 $0.22

445.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.59 $0.59

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 $0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$2.37 $2.37

95.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.20 $0.20

185.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$6.82 $6.82

337.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$0.38 $0.38

1334.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.26 $0.26

1323.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$2.11 $2.11

183.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$0.10 $0.10

1450.00%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$48.8K $48.8K

-54.23%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$42.8K $42.8K

-39.39%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$14.69 $14.69

506.74%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$1.52 $1.52

1547.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$3.20 $3.20

884.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$18.13 $18.13

273.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$14.95 $14.95

93.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$2.30 $2.30

119.57%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$92.1 $92.1

144.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$1,423 $1,423

196.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$20.92 $20.92

126.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$27.99 $27.99

60.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$106 $106

-22.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$65.5 $65.5

40.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$248 $248

331.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$208 $208

94.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$706 $706

174.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$289 $289

350.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$1,185 $1,185

237.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$569 $569

1063.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

23.21

-50.67%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Kelachay: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $248 in Kelachay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $16.00 in Kelachay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $109 – making Kelachay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kelachay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 145%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $792 in Kelachay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 337% less in Kelachay. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $225 per month in Playa del Carmen and $92.1 in Kelachay. 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 Kelachay, where all-in costs run around $528, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Kelachay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kelachay – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kelachay. 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.