Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Koh Chang Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Koh Chang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $980 in Koh Chang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,746 in Koh Chang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,513 in Koh Chang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 32% more than Koh Chang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Koh Chang are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Koh Chang 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$3.66 ฿119

220.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$36.59 ฿1,189

14.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$6.82 ฿222

52.64%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$2.42 ฿78.7

49.17%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.55 ฿18.00

165.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.29 ฿9.37

234.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$2.00 ฿65.1

46.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$3.00 ฿97.5

54.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$2.02 ฿65.6

-29.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.69 ฿54.8

12.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$2.01 ฿65.3

-21.89%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.11 ฿68.6

25.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$17.37 ฿565

-51.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$3.31 ฿107

159.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$12.15 ฿395

-9.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$3.06 ฿99.6

-11.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.52 ฿49.40

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$2.18 ฿70.9

-12.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.81 ฿58.7

19.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.43 ฿46.58

30.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.30 ฿42.32

71.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.86 ฿27.86

25.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.46 ฿14.97

132.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$3.97 ฿129

4.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$17.34 ฿563

-40.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.61 ฿52.4

4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$2.41 ฿78.4

4.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$1.08 ฿35.10

-49.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$2.47 ฿80.3

29.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.79 ฿25.65

211.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$11.03 ฿358

-70.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.05 ฿34.07

25.71%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$22.5K ฿731.3K

33.99%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$26.7K ฿867.8K

-12.39%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$114 ฿3,719

-28.91%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$13.23 ฿430

69.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$17.28 ฿562

73.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$52.1 ฿1,693

-1.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$14.59 ฿474

26.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$7.76 ฿252

-33.51%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$630 ฿20.5K

-67.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$14.2K ฿460.5K

-62.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$55.2 ฿1,795

-35.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$32.33 ฿1,051

24.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$108 ฿3,501

-27.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$80.5 ฿2,617

7.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$405 ฿13.2K

134.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$290 ฿9,433

64.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$1,355 ฿44.0K

19.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$970 ฿31.5K

26.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$2,369 ฿77.0K

69.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$1,680 ฿54.6K

285.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.33

114.26%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Koh Chang: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $405 in Koh Chang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Koh Chang. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Playa del Carmen vs $264 in Koh Chang – so Playa del Carmen 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 Koh Chang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, $980 in Koh Chang – roughly 32% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,470 in Koh Chang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Koh Chang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $980 in Koh Chang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $630 in Koh Chang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Koh Chang, where all-in costs run around $980, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Koh Chang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $980 in Koh Chang to $1,294 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Koh Chang. 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.