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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $725 in Koysinjaq.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,072 in Koysinjaq.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,420 in Koysinjaq.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 74% more expensive than in 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

$11.72 MX$203

$2.34 IQD 3,062

400.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$12.41 IQD 16.3K

237.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.74 IQD 11.4K

20.25%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.55 IQD 2,028

131.61%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.40 IQD 520

277.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.19 IQD 247

384.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.91 IQD 2,504

54.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.13 IQD 2,783

107.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.18 IQD 1,540

18.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.78 IQD 1,025

141.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.13 IQD 1,480

38.05%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.55 IQD 2,027

68.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$7.21 IQD 9,441

15.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$3.88 IQD 5,080

115.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$9.28 IQD 12.2K

17.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$0.78 IQD 1,026

247.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.13 IQD 1,473

33.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.12 IQD 1,469

66.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.56 IQD 732

291.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.59 IQD 778

215.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.59 IQD 769

277.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.36 IQD 477

197.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.36 IQD 473

202.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.26 IQD 2,955

85.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$12.58 IQD 16.5K

-17.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.42 IQD 1,862

16.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.95 IQD 2,549

33.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.40 IQD 520

35.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$30.88 IQD 40.4K

-15.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.54 IQD 2,018

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.75 IQD 980

220.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$3.74 IQD 4,892

-16.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.66 IQD 860

98.48%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$19.5K IQD 25.5M

53.16%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$18.5K IQD 24.3M

25.92%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$102 IQD 133.0K

-20.00%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$17.42 IQD 22.8K

29.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$30.39 IQD 39.8K

-1.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$37.06 IQD 48.5K

42.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$17.04 IQD 22.3K

7.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$11.44 IQD 15.0K

-56.99%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$64.7 IQD 84.7K

210.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$1,154 IQD 1.5M

348.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$15.40 IQD 20.2K

133.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$18.99 IQD 24.9K

111.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$81.0 IQD 106.0K

-1.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$19.48 IQD 25.5K

343.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$243 IQD 318.5K

302.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$177 IQD 231.2K

166.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$585 IQD 766.6K

182.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$340 IQD 445.3K

253.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Koysinjaq: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $243 in Koysinjaq. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Koysinjaq for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 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 $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $1,087 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $243 in Koysinjaq. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $725 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 18% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $725 in Koysinjaq versus $1,260 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 $725 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.