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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $488 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $798 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,108 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 159% more than Kolonnawa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kolonnawa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Kolonnawa 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.44 LKR 1,467

161.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$26.12 LKR 8,636

80.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.59 LKR 2,508

56.52%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.49 LKR 822

59.84%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.73 LKR 242

95.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.27 LKR 89.7

203.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$2.20 LKR 727

45.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.03 LKR 1,003

124.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.59 LKR 525

5.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.52 LKR 173

323.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$0.63 LKR 209

171.43%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.66 LKR 550

65.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$10.50 LKR 3,471

-8.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.50 LKR 1,489

100.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.37 LKR 2,437

73.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$6.65 LKR 2,200

-56.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$0.90 LKR 297

66.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$4.36 LKR 1,440

-50.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.28 LKR 425

76.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.05 LKR 347

88.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.77 LKR 253

158.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.91 LKR 300

35.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.44 LKR 146

172.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$10.25 LKR 3,389

-55.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$10.88 LKR 3,597

-4.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.78 LKR 590

-8.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.22 LKR 734

29.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.14 LKR 46.40

328.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.41 LKR 137

1214.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.36 LKR 119

936.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$0.89 LKR 295

548.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.34 LKR 444

14.93%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

-24.83%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$42.5K LKR 14.1M

-38.68%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$54.8 LKR 18.1K

66.63%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$4.14 LKR 1,368

508.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$21.21 LKR 7,013

47.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$4.31 LKR 1,424

12.76%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$37.85 LKR 12.5K

490.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$1,198 LKR 396.3K

252.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$20.37 LKR 6,736

131.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$16.91 LKR 5,592

161.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$81.3 LKR 26.9K

-1.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$42.61 LKR 14.1K

117.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

12.69

-9.77%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Kolonnawa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Kolonnawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $218 – 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 159% 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $732 in Kolonnawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $488 in Kolonnawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $37.85 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 $488, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $488 versus $1,266 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.