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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $467 in Kone.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $688 in Kone.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $910 in Kone.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 178% more expensive than Kone, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Kone 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$53.6 CFPF 5,480

-22.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

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

$1.46 CFPF 149

-26.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$17.71 CFPF 1,809

-76.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$15.72 CFPF 1,605

-34.35%

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

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

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

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$171 CFPF 17.5K

-51.63%

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$95.7 CFPF 9,778

-69.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$57.8 CFPF 5,903

-10.66%

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

$116 CFPF 11.8K

-68.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$72.0 CFPF 7,355

8.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$590 CFPF 60.3K

64.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,539 CFPF 157.2K

6.66%

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

$2,998 CFPF 306.2K

-77.85%

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 Kone: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $590 in Kone. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kone pays 351% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $54.0 in Kone. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 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, Kone earns 351% less. 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $590 in Kone. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $467 in Kone – a 178% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 409% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $467 in Kone versus $1,297 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 $467 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.