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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $382 in Kohima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $615 in Kohima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $848 in Kohima.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 230% more expensive than in Kohima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Kohima 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$1.39 ₹133

743.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$9.82 ₹936

326.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$3.98 ₹380

164.07%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.72 ₹164

108.72%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.34 ₹32.35

344.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.12 ₹11.67

666.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.37 ₹131

116.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.28 ₹313

34.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.74 ₹70.5

89.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.44 ₹41.87

327.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.54 ₹51.7

188.89%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$0.97 ₹92.7

169.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$3.16 ₹301

163.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$3.29 ₹314

153.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.84 ₹175

47.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.70 ₹66.7

115.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.96 ₹91.7

94.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.77 ₹73.7

184.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.29 ₹27.62

541.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.38 ₹36.63

486.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.37 ₹35.11

189.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.28 ₹26.53

289.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.38 ₹227

76.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$7.08 ₹676

47.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.47 ₹141

12.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.87 ₹274

-9.06%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$3.58 ₹342

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.30 ₹29.00

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$8.86 ₹845

195.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.74 ₹70.8

316.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.26 ₹24.96

823.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$1.48 ₹141

111.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.11 ₹106

18.02%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$13.7K ₹1.3M

117.03%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$18.0K ₹1.7M

29.63%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$41.01 ₹3,911

98.20%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$3.36 ₹320

571.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$5.49 ₹523

447.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$16.00 ₹1,526

230.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$6.92 ₹660

165.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$2.96 ₹282

66.22%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$32.35 ₹3,085

520.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$1,902 ₹181.4K

172.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$25.84 ₹2,464

39.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$35.89 ₹3,423

11.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$47.01 ₹4,483

69.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$42.17 ₹4,022

105.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$123 ₹11.7K

698.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$77.6 ₹7,400

506.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$274 ₹26.1K

503.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$183 ₹17.5K

556.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,093 ₹104.2K

261.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$481 ₹45.9K

1274.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$203 ₹19.3K

233.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.38

54.74%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kohima: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $123 in Kohima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 234% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $10.00 in Kohima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $99.0 per month, with Kohima 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 Kohima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kohima is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 230% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 234% 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $123 in Kohima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kohima – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $382 in Kohima – a 230% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $382 in Kohima versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kohima but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Kohima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kohima 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Kohima are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kohima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 230% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.