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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $455 in Kone.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $695 in Kone.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $935 in Kone.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 178% more expensive than in Kone, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Kone 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$53.2 CFPF 5,486

-11.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.47 CFPF 152

-18.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$17.63 CFPF 1,817

-74.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$15.77 CFPF 1,626

-34.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$174 CFPF 17.9K

-47.36%

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

$25.20 MX$435

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$97.4 CFPF 10.0K

-67.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$56.4 CFPF 5,810

19.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$118 CFPF 12.2K

-60.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$73.0 CFPF 7,527

9.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$589 CFPF 60.7K

80.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,539 CFPF 158.7K

39.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$2,944 CFPF 303.6K

-74.25%

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: September 12, 2026

Last update for Kone: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $589 in Kone. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kone pays 288% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $53.0 in Kone. Groceries flip the comparison at $276 vs $49.00, with Kone cheaper for home cooking.

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 Kone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kone wins on cost – living expenses run 178% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kone the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 288% lower in Kone. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $589 in Kone. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $455 in Kone – a 178% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 460% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $455 in Kone versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kone but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Kone the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kone delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $455 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kone hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Kone are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 178% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.