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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $733 in Khemisset.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,081 in Khemisset.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,428 in Khemisset.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 73% more expensive than Khemisset, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Khemisset 45% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Khemisset
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87 MX$204
$1.96 MAD 18.13
505.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90 MX$736
$16.68 MAD 154
157.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.65 MX$183
$7.14 MAD 66.1
49.16%
Cappuccino
$3.45 MX$59.2
$0.96 MAD 8.89
259.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 MX$25.81
$0.39 MAD 3.63
284.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95 MX$16.28
$0.23 MAD 2.14
313.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$51.9
$3.94 MAD 36.43
-23.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 MX$79.1
$3.37 MAD 31.20
36.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Khemisset
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.61
$0.57 MAD 5.29
142.11%
White Bread (500g)
$1.85 MX$31.70
$0.42 MAD 3.91
340.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.65
$1.50 MAD 13.86
7.33%
Eggs
$2.59 MX$44.51
$2.01 MAD 18.59
28.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.26 MX$142
$10.10 MAD 93.4
-18.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.37 MX$144
$7.06 MAD 65.3
18.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.66 MX$183
$8.87 MAD 82.1
20.18%
Apples (1kg)
$2.63 MX$45.12
$1.06 MAD 9.83
148.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 MX$25.53
$0.89 MAD 8.23
67.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.92 MX$32.94
$0.68 MAD 6.31
182.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$35.81
$0.46 MAD 4.22
354.35%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$31.88
$0.65 MAD 5.99
186.15%
Onion (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.81
$0.63 MAD 5.85
258.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 MX$18.23
$0.50 MAD 4.65
112.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$18.67
$0.61 MAD 5.60
78.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15 MX$71.2
$4.42 MAD 40.85
-6.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.39 MX$178
$9.98 MAD 92.3
4.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 MX$29.59
$3.19 MAD 29.48
-46.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 MX$44.85
$3.23 MAD 29.87
-19.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Khemisset
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.30
$0.47 MAD 4.35
14.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.94 MX$462
$16.30 MAD 151
65.28%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 MX$53.7
$0.56 MAD 5.22
458.93%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.51 MX$43.09
$0.48 MAD 4.44
422.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.15 MX$54.1
$4.35 MAD 40.26
-27.59%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$21.88
$1.59 MAD 14.73
-20.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4K MX$521.3K
$37.3K MAD 345.5K
-18.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6K MX$404.5K
$23.9K MAD 220.8K
-1.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Khemisset
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.0 MX$1,425
$82.2 MAD 760
0.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71 MX$390
$6.43 MAD 59.5
253.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46 MX$506
$39.14 MAD 362
-24.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Khemisset
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 MX$875
$13.67 MAD 126
273.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33 MX$315
$23.14 MAD 214
-20.79%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93 MX$84.5
$7.46 MAD 69.0
-33.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Khemisset
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,386
$96.9 MAD 896
103.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,280 MX$90.6K
$6,537 MAD 60.5K
-19.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Khemisset
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90 MX$633
$31.56 MAD 292
16.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89 MX$685
$46.01 MAD 426
-13.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.0 MX$1,373
$88.8 MAD 821
-9.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5 MX$1,536
$81.3 MAD 752
10.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Khemisset
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$956 MX$16.4K
$284 MAD 2,628
236.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$477 MX$8,189
$176 MAD 1,631
170.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,646 MX$28.3K
$499 MAD 4,617
229.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,225 MX$21.0K
$307 MAD 2,836
299.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,918 MX$67.2K
$1,567 MAD 14.5K
150.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,459 MX$110.9K
$938 MAD 8,674
588.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Khemisset
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$667 MX$11.4K
$397 MAD 3,668
68.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
4.35
162.53%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Khemisset: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $284 in Khemisset. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 68% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $17.00 in Khemisset for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $187 per month, with Khemisset cheaper across the board.

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 Khemisset: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and Khemisset?
Playa del Carmen and Khemisset differ by about 73% in total monthly costs ($1,271 vs $733 including rent). Khemisset is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Playa del Carmen or Khemisset?
Playa del Carmen pays 68% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Khemisset?
Rent for a central apartment: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $284 in Khemisset. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Khemisset – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Playa del Carmen or Khemisset?
All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $733 in Khemisset – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $733 in Khemisset versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Khemisset but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Khemisset the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Khemisset?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Playa del Carmen or Khemisset safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Khemisset are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Khemisset?
Expats usually find Khemisset gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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