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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $728 in Koysinjaq.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,075 in Koysinjaq.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,422 in Koysinjaq.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 77% more expensive than Koysinjaq, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Koysinjaq 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$2.23 IQD 2,924

435.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$12.07 IQD 15.8K

254.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$8.94 IQD 11.7K

18.46%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$1.48 IQD 1,945

144.59%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.40 IQD 520

267.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.20 IQD 263

370.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$2.02 IQD 2,652

52.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$2.16 IQD 2,829

106.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.18 IQD 1,551

21.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$0.76 IQD 993

147.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.12 IQD 1,472

45.54%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$1.49 IQD 1,954

77.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$7.53 IQD 9,860

9.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$3.86 IQD 5,059

114.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$9.10 IQD 11.9K

21.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$0.75 IQD 981

253.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.17 IQD 1,533

28.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$1.13 IQD 1,476

76.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$0.55 IQD 720

278.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$0.55 IQD 718

225.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$0.55 IQD 716

296.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$0.36 IQD 478

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.37 IQD 481

181.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$2.35 IQD 3,078

68.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$12.18 IQD 16.0K

-16.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$1.43 IQD 1,877

20.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$1.92 IQD 2,516

30.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.37 IQD 482

40.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

$31.44 IQD 41.2K

-14.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$1.56 IQD 2,050

101.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.79 IQD 1,041

203.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$3.85 IQD 5,039

-19.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$0.70 IQD 918

81.43%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$19.5K IQD 25.5M

58.44%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$18.3K IQD 24.0M

27.40%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$99.2 IQD 130.0K

-17.36%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$17.85 IQD 23.4K

25.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$29.90 IQD 39.2K

-0.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$36.01 IQD 47.2K

44.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$16.61 IQD 21.8K

12.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$11.64 IQD 15.3K

-57.30%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$64.4 IQD 84.3K

207.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$1,128 IQD 1.5M

367.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$15.12 IQD 19.8K

140.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$19.48 IQD 25.5K

105.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$83.2 IQD 108.9K

-3.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$19.18 IQD 25.1K

363.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$240 IQD 314.6K

301.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$177 IQD 231.7K

162.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$584 IQD 765.3K

173.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$344 IQD 450.1K

251.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Koysinjaq: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $240 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 $251 vs $161 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 77% 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 $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $1,093 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $240 in Koysinjaq. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $728 in Koysinjaq – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Koysinjaq runs roughly 17% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $728 in Koysinjaq versus $1,287 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 $728 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 77% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.