🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,423 in Kilkis.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,002 in Kilkis.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,581 in Kilkis.
🙂Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 10% less than in Kilkis, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Kilkis is 6% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Kilkis
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$13.10€11.22
-8.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$22.83€19.54
87.25%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$9.44€8.08
12.18%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$3.70€3.17
-2.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$1.67€1.43
-11.98%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.59€0.51
59.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$4.03€3.45
-23.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$5.73€4.90
-22.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Kilkis
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.53€1.31
-6.54%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$1.62€1.39
16.05%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$2.14€1.83
-23.83%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$4.05€3.46
-34.81%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$13.94€11.93
-41.10%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$9.60€8.22
-13.65%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$13.11€11.22
-15.33%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$2.29€1.96
15.72%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$1.91€1.64
-21.47%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$1.11€0.95
79.28%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$2.02€1.73
2.97%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$1.13€0.97
58.41%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$1.27€1.09
71.65%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$0.99€0.85
9.09%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.46€0.39
126.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$5.25€4.49
-24.38%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$9.60€8.22
6.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$1.66€1.42
4.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$2.42€2.08
3.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Kilkis
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$1.58€1.36
-67.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
$45.73€39.14
-41.02%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$4.53€3.88
-30.68%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$9.18€7.86
-66.34%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$2.18€1.87
-41.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$34.9K€29.9K
-11.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$28.9K€24.8K
-19.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Kilkis
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$292€250
-71.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$24.15€20.67
-7.04%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$31.66€27.10
-6.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Kilkis
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$28.82€24.67
79.98%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
$25.97€22.23
-28.11%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$8.90€7.62
-44.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Kilkis
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$519€445
-61.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$5,546€4,747
-4.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Kilkis
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$51.5€44.11
-29.48%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$28.63€24.51
39.89%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$57.2€48.95
39.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$45.94€39.32
93.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Kilkis
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$408€349
136.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$399€342
16.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$577€494
176.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$571€489
111.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
$3,323€2,844
18.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
$2,904€2,486
122.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Kilkis
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
$829€709
-13.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
4.34
163.13%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Last update for Kilkis: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $408 in Kilkis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Kilkis pays 15% 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 $23.00 in Kilkis. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $271, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.
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 Kilkis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and Kilkis?
Playa del Carmen and Kilkis differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $1,423 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Kilkis earns 15% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Kilkis?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $408 in Kilkis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Playa del Carmen and Kilkis?
Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $519 in Kilkis. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Kilkis. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,423 in Kilkis, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Kilkis. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Kilkis?
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 Kilkis safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Kilkis 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 Kilkis?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Kilkis. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared