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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $399 in Khost.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $595 in Khost.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $791 in Khost.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 217% more expensive than in Khost, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Khost 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$2.71 ؋175

328.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$7.65 ؋493

515.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$4.65 ؋299

155.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 ؋146

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ؋121

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$1.13 ؋72.8

252.21%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.49 ؋31.34

191.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.15 ؋9.53

446.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$0.87 ؋55.9

93.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.25 ؋16.15

780.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.80 ؋116

-5.00%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.59 ؋103

72.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$4.32 ؋279

121.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.89 ؋251

131.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$6.82 ؋439

87.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$0.72 ؋46.69

301.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$0.84 ؋54.3

78.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$0.95 ؋61.2

126.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$0.55 ؋35.36

310.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$0.60 ؋38.67

230.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.50 ؋32.36

298.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.30 ؋19.49

310.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.39 ؋25.31

207.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.88 ؋121

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ؋47.88

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 ؋67.0

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.44 ؋157

86.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.44 ؋28.31

36.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$18.82 ؋1,213

53.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.81 ؋52.0

565.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.48 ؋31.12

677.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$2.37 ؋153

143.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.03 ؋66.7

49.51%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$8,376 ؋539.8K

169.22%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$34.9K ؋2.3M

-25.36%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$43.16 ؋2,782

111.72%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$12.84 ؋827

96.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$96.3 ؋6,209

-67.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$7.61 ؋490

783.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$5.98 ؋386

386.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$2.37 ؋152

105.06%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$20.46 ؋1,319

993.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$1,043 ؋67.2K

305.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$10.49 ؋676

349.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$16.27 ؋1,048

172.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$57.5 ؋3,704

39.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$24.65 ؋1,589

275.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$30.67 ؋1,976

3364.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$15.67 ؋1,010

2390.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$76.4 ؋4,922

2713.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$45.39 ؋2,925

2702.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$185 ؋12.0K

308.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

14.50%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Khost: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $30.67 in Khost. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 309% 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 $8.00 in Khost for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $102 per month, with Khost 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 Khost: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Khost is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 217% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 309% 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $30.67 in Khost. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Khost – a meal for two runs $8.00 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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $399 in Khost – a 217% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $399 in Khost versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Khost but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Khost the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Khost is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Khost gentler on the wallet – expenses run 217% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.