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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $745 in Khemisset.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,164 in Khemisset.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,583 in Khemisset.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 75% more expensive than in Khemisset, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Khemisset 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$1.59 MAD 14.91

652.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$37.45 MAD 352

26.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.36 MAD 69.1

59.65%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$0.84 MAD 7.91

390.48%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.81 MAD 7.62

72.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.23 MAD 2.17

295.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$6.27 MAD 58.9

-48.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$5.31 MAD 49.86

33.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.90 MAD 8.46

86.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.46 MAD 4.36

367.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.41 MAD 13.27

25.53%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.89 MAD 17.75

49.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$10.61 MAD 99.7

-13.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$7.13 MAD 67.0

29.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$8.39 MAD 78.8

50.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$0.95 MAD 8.90

210.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.14 MAD 10.75

38.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$0.77 MAD 7.22

188.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.42 MAD 3.90

461.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.66 MAD 6.24

201.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.66 MAD 6.24

200.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.48 MAD 4.47

158.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.62 MAD 5.78

95.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$4.34 MAD 40.79

5.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$9.52 MAD 89.5

10.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$3.86 MAD 36.30

-56.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$4.07 MAD 38.23

-31.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.56 MAD 5.22

7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$19.34 MAD 182

53.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.73 MAD 6.82

617.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.88 MAD 8.31

314.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$9.97 MAD 93.7

-42.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.55 MAD 14.59

-0.65%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$35.4K MAD 332.4K

-35.54%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$30.4K MAD 285.7K

-15.11%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$36.71 MAD 345

146.99%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$6.58 MAD 61.8

282.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$40.34 MAD 379

-21.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$13.40 MAD 126

413.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$21.53 MAD 202

36.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$7.58 MAD 71.2

-35.88%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$97.0 MAD 912

132.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$6,417 MAD 60.3K

-34.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$37.07 MAD 348

27.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$50.7 MAD 477

-14.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$101 MAD 951

-20.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$107 MAD 1,007

-14.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$275 MAD 2,580

295.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$177 MAD 1,662

131.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$476 MAD 4,477

313.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$281 MAD 2,645

355.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,256 MAD 11.8K

222.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$870 MAD 8,173

670.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$400 MAD 3,758

93.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.67

211.99%

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 Khemisset: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $275 in Khemisset. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 93% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $37.00 in Khemisset for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $195 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

Playa del Carmen and Khemisset differ by about 75% in total monthly costs ($1,305 vs $745 including rent). Khemisset is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 93% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $275 in Khemisset. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Khemisset – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $745 in Khemisset – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $745 in Khemisset versus $1,305 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.

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.

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.

Expats usually find Khemisset gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.