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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $894 in Kerak, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,348 in Kerak, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,803 in Kerak, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 40% more than Kerak, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kerak are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Kerak 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$2.84 JOD 2.01

322.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$50.3 JOD 35.60

-16.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.55 JOD 3.93

93.69%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$0.70 JOD 0.50

400.00%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.51 JOD 0.36

184.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.33 JOD 0.24

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$5.47 JOD 3.88

-46.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$6.85 JOD 4.85

-34.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.44 JOD 1.02

-0.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.34 JOD 0.24

441.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.86 JOD 0.61

82.56%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.70 JOD 1.21

47.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$6.61 JOD 4.68

25.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.16 JOD 2.94

102.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$11.34 JOD 8.03

-5.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.38 JOD 0.98

89.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.42 JOD 1.01

1.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.45 JOD 1.03

35.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.41 JOD 0.29

409.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.88 JOD 0.63

110.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.72 JOD 0.51

201.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.65 JOD 0.46

58.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.62 JOD 0.44

72.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.54 JOD 2.51

15.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$21.38 JOD 15.14

-52.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$4.78 JOD 3.38

-64.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$5.38 JOD 3.81

-52.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.69 JOD 0.49

368.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.39 JOD 0.98

73.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$6.99 JOD 4.95

-53.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.40 JOD 0.99

-5.71%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$26.6K JOD 18.8K

11.56%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$32.7K JOD 23.2K

-27.68%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$105 JOD 74.3

-21.83%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$17.10 JOD 12.11

34.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$27.70 JOD 19.61

8.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$41.61 JOD 29.46

24.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$11.41 JOD 8.08

-56.35%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$139 JOD 98.5

41.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$3,397 JOD 2,405

57.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$61.5 JOD 43.56

-42.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$56.8 JOD 40.20

-28.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$116 JOD 81.9

-31.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$80.9 JOD 57.3

9.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$185 JOD 131

412.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$227 JOD 161

108.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$283 JOD 200

481.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$330 JOD 234

266.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$211 JOD 149

1822.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$282 JOD 200

2195.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$517 JOD 366

26.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.27

57.08%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kerak: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $185 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 26% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $50.0 in Kerak. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $218 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 40%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,341 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $50.0 in Kerak. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% 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 $894, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.