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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $970 in Kerak, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,481 in Kerak, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,992 in Kerak, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 34% more than Kerak, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kerak are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Kerak 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$2.80 JOD 1.98

327.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$68.2 JOD 48.28

-30.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$5.66 JOD 4.01

107.60%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$0.68 JOD 0.48

505.88%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.51 JOD 0.36

174.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.34 JOD 0.24

167.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$8.29 JOD 5.87

-61.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$11.02 JOD 7.80

-35.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.45 JOD 1.03

15.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.34 JOD 0.24

532.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$0.83 JOD 0.59

113.25%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.66 JOD 1.17

69.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$6.99 JOD 4.95

31.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.17 JOD 2.95

121.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$12.54 JOD 8.87

0.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.43 JOD 1.01

106.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.38 JOD 0.98

14.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.44 JOD 1.02

54.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.40 JOD 0.28

490.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.89 JOD 0.63

123.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.89 JOD 0.63

122.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.65 JOD 0.46

90.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.61 JOD 0.43

98.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$3.97 JOD 2.81

15.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$20.86 JOD 14.76

-49.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$5.05 JOD 3.57

-66.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$5.11 JOD 3.62

-45.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.64 JOD 0.45

718.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.37 JOD 0.97

166.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$7.13 JOD 5.04

-18.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.68 JOD 1.19

-8.33%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$35.7K JOD 25.3K

-36.20%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$34.3K JOD 24.3K

-24.85%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$112 JOD 79.1

-18.91%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$15.51 JOD 10.97

62.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$28.63 JOD 20.26

10.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$43.03 JOD 30.45

59.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$11.45 JOD 8.10

-57.55%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$140 JOD 98.8

61.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$3,448 JOD 2,440

21.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$63.6 JOD 45.02

-25.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$83.5 JOD 59.1

-47.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$125 JOD 88.5

-35.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$88.4 JOD 62.6

3.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$180 JOD 127

503.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$222 JOD 157

84.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$286 JOD 202

590.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$330 JOD 234

288.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$216 JOD 153

1777.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$278 JOD 197

2311.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$516 JOD 365

49.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.81

68.14%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kerak: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $180 in Kerak. 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 50% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $68.0 in Kerak. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $222 in Kerak – so Kerak 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 Kerak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,456 in Kerak. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $68.0 in Kerak. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kerak, where all-in costs run around $970, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Kerak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Kerak. 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.