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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $117 in Kololi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $275 in Kololi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $432 in Kololi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 1003% more than Kololi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kololi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Kololi 91% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$45.12 GMD 3,316

3.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$2.76 GMD 203

48.19%

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

$1.37 MX$23.21

$2.35 GMD 173

-41.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.08

$1.01 GMD 74.0

-17.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

$6.99 GMD 513

-52.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$4.78 GMD 351

44.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.16

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.17

$1.29 GMD 94.8

75.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.88

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.14

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.52

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.89

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.23

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.84

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.86

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.92

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.33

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

$6.56 GMD 482

62.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.35

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.65

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.23

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

$22.3K MX$377.0K

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

$25.9K MX$438.2K

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

$89.1 MX$1,505

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

$25.04 MX$423

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

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

$225 MX$3,798

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,844

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Kololi: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Kololi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $26.00 – making Kololi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kololi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, $117 in Kololi – roughly 1003% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $176 in Kololi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $45.00 in Kololi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $117 in Kololi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kololi, where all-in costs run around $117, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Kololi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $117 in Kololi to $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Kololi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.