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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $387 in Kohima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $617 in Kohima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $847 in Kohima.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 233% more expensive than Kohima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Kohima 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$1.37 ₹131

771.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$9.68 ₹919

341.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$3.97 ₹377

166.75%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.68 ₹160

115.48%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.36 ₹34.27

308.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.12 ₹11.21

683.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.37 ₹130

125.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.20 ₹304

39.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.74 ₹70.0

93.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.46 ₹43.85

308.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.57 ₹54.2

185.96%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$0.89 ₹84.2

196.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$3.05 ₹290

169.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.21 ₹305

158.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.87 ₹177

41.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$0.73 ₹69.3

105.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.96 ₹91.3

107.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.79 ₹75.3

163.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.29 ₹27.32

517.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.39 ₹36.87

458.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.40 ₹37.62

170.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.30 ₹28.57

246.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.35 ₹223

68.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.25 ₹689

40.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.55 ₹147

11.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.81 ₹267

-11.03%

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

$3.58 ₹340

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.30 ₹28.78

73.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$8.69 ₹825

210.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.80 ₹75.7

292.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.24 ₹22.64

900.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$1.46 ₹139

111.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.17 ₹111

8.55%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$13.7K ₹1.3M

125.45%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$18.0K ₹1.7M

29.49%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$39.70 ₹3,769

106.57%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$3.36 ₹319

568.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$5.42 ₹515

447.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$15.84 ₹1,504

227.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$6.97 ₹662

167.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$2.86 ₹272

73.78%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$32.77 ₹3,111

503.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$1,976 ₹187.6K

166.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$25.21 ₹2,394

44.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$35.10 ₹3,332

14.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$45.78 ₹4,346

74.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$43.37 ₹4,118

104.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$126 ₹11.9K

666.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$76.2 ₹7,237

509.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$271 ₹25.7K

489.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$183 ₹17.4K

558.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,035 ₹98.3K

280.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$518 ₹49.1K

1146.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$211 ₹20.0K

242.18%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Kohima: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $126 in Kohima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 242% 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 $251 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 233% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 242% 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $126 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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $387 in Kohima – a 233% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $387 in Kohima versus $1,287 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 233% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.