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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $119 in Kololi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $276 in Kololi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $433 in Kololi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 993% more than Kololi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kololi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Kololi 91% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$46.38 GMD 3,428

-10.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.68 GMD 198

31.34%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$2.38 GMD 176

-36.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.00 GMD 74.1

-3.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$6.99 GMD 517

-57.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.73 GMD 350

-5.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.38 GMD 102

36.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$6.59 GMD 487

56.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.14 GMD 10.33

264.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.70 GMD 51.6

365.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.11 GMD 81.8

18.02%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$2,534 GMD 187.3K

1094.91%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$4,293 GMD 317.2K

445.82%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Kololi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $46.00 in Kololi. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $27.00 in Kololi – so Kololi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $119 in Kololi – roughly 993% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $178 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $46.00 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $119 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 $119, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $119 in Kololi to $1,297 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.