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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $731 in Koysinjaq.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,076 in Koysinjaq.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,422 in Koysinjaq.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 74% more expensive than Koysinjaq, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Koysinjaq 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$2.23 IQD 2,924

432.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$12.27 IQD 16.1K

249.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.79 IQD 11.5K

21.16%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.57 IQD 2,054

119.75%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.39 IQD 514

284.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.17 IQD 228

458.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.93 IQD 2,524

56.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.08 IQD 2,720

121.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.12 IQD 1,470

23.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.80 IQD 1,046

131.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.16 IQD 1,524

38.79%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.56 IQD 2,046

66.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$7.54 IQD 9,868

9.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.88 IQD 5,076

115.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$9.08 IQD 11.9K

17.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$0.78 IQD 1,027

237.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.13 IQD 1,485

31.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.12 IQD 1,462

71.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.55 IQD 715

280.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.59 IQD 770

215.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.59 IQD 777

283.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.40 IQD 522

165.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.36 IQD 474

202.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.34 IQD 3,062

77.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$12.39 IQD 16.2K

-16.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.43 IQD 1,867

20.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.95 IQD 2,550

33.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.37 IQD 479

45.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$31.34 IQD 41.0K

-14.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.56 IQD 2,042

100.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.79 IQD 1,031

217.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$3.74 IQD 4,900

-15.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.65 IQD 856

95.38%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

57.91%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$18.4K IQD 24.0M

28.36%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$99.7 IQD 130.5K

-16.74%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$17.52 IQD 22.9K

29.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$30.19 IQD 39.5K

-2.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$37.44 IQD 49.0K

36.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$16.56 IQD 21.7K

10.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$11.56 IQD 15.1K

-57.35%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$64.1 IQD 83.9K

207.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$1,146 IQD 1.5M

360.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$15.58 IQD 20.4K

136.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$18.99 IQD 24.9K

110.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$83.3 IQD 109.1K

-4.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$18.90 IQD 24.7K

373.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$246 IQD 322.2K

288.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$176 IQD 230.1K

171.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$591 IQD 773.3K

178.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$349 IQD 456.5K

251.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.67

101.41%

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 Koysinjaq: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $246 in Koysinjaq. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Koysinjaq for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $162 per month, with Koysinjaq cheaper across the board.

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 Koysinjaq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Koysinjaq wins on cost – living expenses run 74% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Koysinjaq the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,906 in Playa del Carmen and $1,096 in Koysinjaq 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $246 in Koysinjaq. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $731 in Koysinjaq – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Koysinjaq runs roughly 16% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $731 in Koysinjaq versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Koysinjaq but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Koysinjaq the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Koysinjaq delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $731 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Koysinjaq hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Koysinjaq gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.