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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $506 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $836 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,166 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 149% more than Kolonnawa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kolonnawa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Kolonnawa 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$4.04 LKR 1,278

188.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$24.90 LKR 7,882

68.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$8.53 LKR 2,699

21.92%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.66 LKR 841

35.71%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.68 LKR 216

116.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.40 LKR 128

127.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$2.30 LKR 728

31.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$3.33 LKR 1,054

34.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.70 LKR 539

-18.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$0.53 LKR 166

247.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$0.70 LKR 222

130.00%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$2.14 LKR 676

20.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$8.53 LKR 2,700

-0.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$4.80 LKR 1,519

76.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$8.25 LKR 2,611

33.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$7.38 LKR 2,335

-63.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.11 LKR 350

35.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$5.73 LKR 1,813

-65.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.26 LKR 400

68.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$1.15 LKR 364

61.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$1.38 LKR 437

57.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$1.19 LKR 378

-10.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.52 LKR 164

101.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$10.24 LKR 3,241

-59.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$10.98 LKR 3,475

-6.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$2.04 LKR 645

-18.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$2.35 LKR 744

5.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.39 LKR 123

694.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.33 LKR 104

645.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$0.58 LKR 182

458.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.20 LKR 380

5.00%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$26.5K LKR 8.4M

14.02%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$35.3K LKR 11.2M

-33.50%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$60.7 LKR 19.2K

38.37%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$4.38 LKR 1,386

407.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$14.88 LKR 4,710

99.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$10.09 LKR 3,193

421.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$1.65 LKR 522

1011.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$3.37 LKR 1,067

46.88%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$37.43 LKR 11.8K

429.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$435 LKR 137.7K

1123.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$27.11 LKR 8,580

32.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$19.14 LKR 6,057

109.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$68.8 LKR 21.8K

14.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$38.54 LKR 12.2K

124.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

16.45

-30.58%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Kolonnawa: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $0 in Kolonnawa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $25 in Kolonnawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $235 – making Kolonnawa 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 Kolonnawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 149% more than Kolonnawa, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $759 in Kolonnawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $506 in Kolonnawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $37.43 in Kolonnawa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kolonnawa, where all-in costs run around $506, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Kolonnawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kolonnawa costs $506 versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kolonnawa. 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.