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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $507 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $826 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,144 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 150% more than Kolonnawa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kolonnawa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Kolonnawa 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$4.08 LKR 1,361

190.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$738

$25.32 LKR 8,445

69.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.28 LKR 2,761

28.62%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.3

$2.75 LKR 918

25.45%

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

$1.50 MX$25.87

$0.69 LKR 231

117.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.32

$0.38 LKR 126

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.1

$2.30 LKR 767

31.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.3

$3.26 LKR 1,088

41.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.67

$1.72 LKR 573

-19.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.78

$0.52 LKR 174

255.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.71

$0.74 LKR 247

117.57%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.62

$2.16 LKR 719

19.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$8.26 LKR 2,755

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.71 LKR 1,572

77.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$8.07 LKR 2,693

32.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.23

$7.32 LKR 2,442

-64.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.59

$1.07 LKR 358

39.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.02

$5.80 LKR 1,935

-66.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.89

$1.26 LKR 422

65.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.95

$1.10 LKR 366

69.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.90

$1.40 LKR 466

61.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.28

$1.15 LKR 383

-7.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.71

$0.52 LKR 172

109.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.4

$9.92 LKR 3,310

-58.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$179

$10.34 LKR 3,447

0.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.66

$1.99 LKR 664

-13.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.96

$2.43 LKR 809

7.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$464

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.8

$0.41 LKR 137

663.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.19

$0.35 LKR 117

617.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.2

$0.60 LKR 200

425.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.94

$1.20 LKR 401

5.83%

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

$30.4K MX$522.6K

$27.0K LKR 9.0M

12.49%

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

$23.6K MX$405.4K

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

-33.05%

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

$83.0 MX$1,428

$59.9 LKR 20.0K

38.59%

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

$22.71 MX$391

$4.21 LKR 1,404

439.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$507

$14.88 LKR 4,964

97.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$877

$10.13 LKR 3,379

403.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$1.66 LKR 553

1004.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.7

$3.38 LKR 1,129

45.86%

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

$197 MX$3,395

$37.47 LKR 12.5K

426.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.8K

$439 LKR 146.5K

1102.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$635

$27.75 LKR 9,258

32.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$686

$19.76 LKR 6,591

101.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,377

$68.2 LKR 22.7K

17.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,539

$38.86 LKR 13.0K

130.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,208

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$111.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.5K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kolonnawa: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Kolonnawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $231 – 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 150% 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $761 in Kolonnawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $507 in Kolonnawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $37.47 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 $507, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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 $507 versus $1,271 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.