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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,580 in Kolin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,620 in Kolin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,660 in Kolin.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 18% less than in Kolin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Kolin is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$9.25 Kč 193

26.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$43.74 Kč 912

-4.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.23 Kč 171

29.28%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.02 Kč 62.9

16.56%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.98 Kč 41.37

-23.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.73 Kč 36.03

-43.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.19 Kč 45.66

34.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.73 Kč 57.0

63.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.17 Kč 24.35

17.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.57 Kč 32.70

20.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$2.33 Kč 48.67

-29.61%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$3.34 Kč 69.5

-24.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$12.55 Kč 262

-33.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$9.37 Kč 195

-10.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$14.66 Kč 306

-26.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.76 Kč 36.59

47.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.80 Kč 37.51

-18.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.24 Kč 46.61

-15.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$3.56 Kč 74.2

-41.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.26 Kč 26.33

41.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.19 Kč 24.75

84.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.51 Kč 31.42

-31.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.79 Kč 16.38

36.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$7.08 Kč 148

-42.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$7.39 Kč 154

39.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.05 Kč 21.89

62.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.60 Kč 33.28

61.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.15 Kč 23.98

-55.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$23.50 Kč 490

12.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.98 Kč 41.20

64.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.28 Kč 26.62

94.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$14.18 Kč 296

-77.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.67 Kč 34.84

-21.56%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$25.6K Kč 534.5K

18.11%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$29.8K Kč 622.1K

-21.48%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$256 Kč 5,331

-67.59%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$26.35 Kč 549

-15.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$20.05 Kč 418

46.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$54.0 Kč 1,125

-4.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$37.76 Kč 787

-51.48%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$10.30 Kč 215

-50.78%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$325 Kč 6,781

-38.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$8,904 Kč 185.6K

-41.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$82.7 Kč 1,724

-55.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$42.70 Kč 890

-6.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$90.2 Kč 1,879

-12.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$116 Kč 2,421

-25.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$673 Kč 14.0K

44.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$570 Kč 11.9K

-17.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,794 Kč 37.4K

-8.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$1,629 Kč 34.0K

-25.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$8,038 Kč 167.6K

-50.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$6,216 Kč 129.6K

4.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,386 Kč 28.9K

-52.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.47

108.78%

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 Kolin: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $673 in Kolin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kolin pays 109% 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 $44.00 in Kolin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $270 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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 Kolin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Kolin earns 109% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $673 in Kolin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Kolin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $44.00 in Kolin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,580 in Kolin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Kolin. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kolin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Kolin 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Kolin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.