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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,248 in Koh Samui, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,238 in Koh Samui, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,228 in Koh Samui, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 4% more than Koh Samui, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Koh Samui are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Koh Samui 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.63 ฿151

153.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$46.36 ฿1,514

-10.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.65 ฿283

23.01%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.99 ฿97.8

17.73%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.70 ฿22.72

115.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.36 ฿11.81

169.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.44 ฿79.8

20.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.62 ฿118

22.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.22 ฿72.5

-37.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.89 ฿61.6

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.20 ฿71.8

-25.45%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.31 ฿75.3

8.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$19.75 ฿645

-57.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.81 ฿124

118.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$13.12 ฿429

-18.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.22 ฿105

-19.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.64 ฿53.7

-10.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.38 ฿77.6

-20.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.02 ฿66.1

2.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.61 ฿52.7

10.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.51 ฿49.42

45.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.99 ฿32.20

5.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.52 ฿17.06

107.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.38 ฿143

-6.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$19.45 ฿635

-46.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.76 ฿57.4

-2.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.67 ฿87.1

-3.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.43 ฿46.85

-64.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$45.97 ฿1,501

-42.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$3.16 ฿103

3.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.08 ฿35.42

130.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$14.42 ฿471

-77.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.39 ฿45.23

-5.76%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$29.6K ฿968.0K

2.16%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$35.5K ฿1.2M

-33.91%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$126 ฿4,126

-34.40%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$14.56 ฿476

52.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$19.37 ฿633

51.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$64.0 ฿2,089

-19.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$17.78 ฿581

3.04%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$9.43 ฿308

-46.24%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$767 ฿25.1K

-73.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$17.3K ฿564.3K

-69.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$58.4 ฿1,906

-36.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$35.05 ฿1,145

13.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$116 ฿3,788

-32.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$85.2 ฿2,783

2.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$524 ฿17.1K

85.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$382 ฿12.5K

22.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,738 ฿56.8K

-5.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,243 ฿40.6K

-1.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$3,123 ฿102.0K

26.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$2,263 ฿73.9K

187.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$402 ฿13.1K

64.99%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Koh Samui: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $524 in Koh Samui. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 65% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $46.00 in Koh Samui. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $293 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Samui: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $1,248 in Koh Samui – roughly 4% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,872 in Koh Samui. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $46.00 in Koh Samui. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Koh Samui, where all-in costs run around $1,248, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Koh Samui 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 $1,248 in Koh Samui to $1,297 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 Samui. 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.