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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $365 in Kohima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $570 in Kohima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $774 in Kohima.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 247% more expensive than in Kohima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Kohima 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$2.35 ₹225

393.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$8.67 ₹832

443.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$3.63 ₹348

227.27%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.55 ₹149

156.77%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.44 ₹41.82

225.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.10 ₹9.39

720.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.22 ₹117

161.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.35 ₹321

102.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.62 ₹59.5

170.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.43 ₹41.38

411.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$0.54 ₹52.1

216.67%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$0.85 ₹81.3

222.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$2.79 ₹268

243.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.27 ₹314

175.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.27 ₹218

27.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.71 ₹67.7

111.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$0.90 ₹86.0

138.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.65 ₹62.8

247.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.32 ₹30.89

518.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.34 ₹32.47

485.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.31 ₹29.70

296.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.27 ₹25.90

344.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.13 ₹205

113.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$7.06 ₹677

46.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.64 ₹157

-1.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.48 ₹238

16.13%

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

$3.12 ₹299

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.23 ₹22.50

160.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$7.24 ₹694

297.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.73 ₹69.6

638.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.30 ₹29.00

1143.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$1.28 ₹122

350.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.04 ₹100

48.08%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$12.6K ₹1.2M

78.80%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$16.2K ₹1.6M

60.74%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$34.86 ₹3,344

162.13%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$3.32 ₹319

659.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$6.35 ₹609

391.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$14.06 ₹1,349

377.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$6.71 ₹644

333.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$3.21 ₹308

51.40%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$27.76 ₹2,663

705.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$2,198 ₹210.9K

92.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$17.29 ₹1,658

172.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$31.32 ₹3,005

41.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$37.33 ₹3,581

114.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$26.76 ₹2,567

246.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$124 ₹11.9K

759.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$62.8 ₹6,029

520.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$228 ₹21.9K

843.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$163 ₹15.7K

678.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$970 ₹93.1K

312.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$541 ₹51.9K

1102.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$202 ₹19.4K

275.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

7.38

55.15%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Kohima: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $124 in Kohima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 275% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $9.00 in Kohima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $97.0 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 247% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 275% 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $124 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 $9.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $365 in Kohima – a 247% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $365 in Kohima versus $1,266 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 247% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.