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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $386 in Kohima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $617 in Kohima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $848 in Kohima.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 229% more expensive than 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

$11.87 MX$204

$1.44 ₹137

724.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$9.75 ₹927

340.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.15 ₹395

156.63%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.71 ₹162

101.75%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.34 ₹32.17

341.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.13 ₹12.31

630.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.42 ₹135

113.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.18 ₹303

44.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.71 ₹67.2

94.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.43 ₹41.33

330.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.54 ₹51.3

198.15%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$0.96 ₹90.9

169.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$3.18 ₹303

159.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.33 ₹317

151.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.92 ₹182

36.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.69 ₹65.7

115.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.94 ₹89.7

104.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.83 ₹79.4

151.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.29 ₹27.45

541.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.38 ₹36.54

494.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.37 ₹34.72

186.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.28 ₹26.52

289.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.35 ₹224

76.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$7.13 ₹678

45.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.54 ₹146

11.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.87 ₹273

-9.06%

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

$3.45 ₹329

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.28 ₹26.52

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$8.68 ₹825

210.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.76 ₹72.0

311.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.24 ₹22.64

945.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$1.47 ₹140

114.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.12 ₹107

13.39%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$14.1K ₹1.3M

114.68%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$18.0K ₹1.7M

30.66%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$40.20 ₹3,823

106.47%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$3.45 ₹328

558.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$5.49 ₹522

436.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$16.19 ₹1,540

215.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$7.21 ₹686

154.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$2.86 ₹272

72.38%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$32.89 ₹3,128

499.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$1,972 ₹187.6K

167.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$25.16 ₹2,392

46.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$36.02 ₹3,425

10.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$46.56 ₹4,427

71.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$43.44 ₹4,131

105.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$122 ₹11.6K

685.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$75.4 ₹7,168

532.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$272 ₹25.9K

505.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$179 ₹17.0K

583.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$859 ₹81.7K

356.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$578 ₹55.0K

1016.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$207 ₹19.7K

222.79%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kohima: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $122 in Kohima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 223% 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 $10.00 in Kohima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 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 229% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 223% more on average, 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $122 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $386 in Kohima – a 229% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $386 in Kohima versus $1,271 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 229% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.