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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $182 in Kourou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $314 in Kourou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $446 in Kourou.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 611% more expensive than Kourou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Kourou 86% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$2.04 €1.76

-6.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$6.89 €5.93

-61.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$4.56 €3.93

-40.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$2.29 €1.97

-34.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$8.04 €6.92

-73.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$2.47 €2.13

-24.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$6.85 €5.90

-67.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$2.35 €2.03

-54.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.91 €1.65

-43.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

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

$22.41 MX$386

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

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

$202 MX$3,471

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$1,517 €1,307

-37.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

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 15, 2026

Last update for Kourou: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $1,517 in Kourou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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 Kourou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Kourou differ by about 611% in total monthly costs ($1,294 vs $182 including rent). Kourou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,941 in Playa del Carmen and $273 in Kourou to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,517 in Kourou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $182 in Kourou – a 611% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $182 in Kourou versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kourou but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Kourou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Kourou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 611% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.