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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $986 in Koh Chang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,771 in Koh Chang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,556 in Koh Chang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 31% 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 4% lower, Koh Chang 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$3.66 ฿119

226.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$37.12 ฿1,207

15.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$6.89 ฿224

53.70%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.46 ฿80.0

47.15%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.59 ฿19.17

149.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.29 ฿9.27

224.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$2.00 ฿65.0

54.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$2.89 ฿93.8

54.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.95 ฿63.4

-26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$1.69 ฿54.9

11.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$2.01 ฿65.3

-18.91%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$1.99 ฿64.7

32.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$17.70 ฿575

-53.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$3.39 ฿110

144.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$11.84 ฿385

-6.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$2.91 ฿94.7

-8.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.53 ฿49.66

-1.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$2.07 ฿67.3

-3.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$1.89 ฿61.3

10.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$1.45 ฿47.10

23.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.35 ฿43.83

61.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$0.93 ฿30.31

16.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.43 ฿14.02

141.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$3.86 ฿126

2.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$17.39 ฿565

-41.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$1.68 ฿54.5

2.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$2.39 ฿77.9

4.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$1.14 ฿36.98

-54.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$2.42 ฿78.5

29.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.78 ฿25.44

207.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$11.14 ฿362

-72.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.08 ฿35.03

17.59%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$22.4K ฿728.8K

37.76%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$26.7K ฿867.2K

-12.59%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$118 ฿3,842

-30.61%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$12.83 ฿417

74.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$17.68 ฿575

67.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$52.1 ฿1,694

-0.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$14.32 ฿466

30.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$7.73 ฿251

-35.71%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$628 ฿20.4K

-68.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$14.2K ฿460.9K

-62.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$56.7 ฿1,843

-35.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$33.40 ฿1,086

19.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$108 ฿3,518

-26.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$79.9 ฿2,596

11.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$401 ฿13.0K

140.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$289 ฿9,397

60.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$1,318 ฿42.8K

21.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$960 ฿31.2K

25.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$2,454 ฿79.8K

60.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$1,721 ฿56.0K

274.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Koh Chang: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $401 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Koh Chang. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $263 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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $986 in Koh Chang – roughly 31% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,479 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $986 in Koh Chang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $628 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 $986, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $986 in Koh Chang to $1,287 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.