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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $379 in Kozhikode, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $612 in Kozhikode, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $844 in Kozhikode, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 235% more than Kozhikode, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kozhikode are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Kozhikode 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$1.70 ₹162

598.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$11.83 ₹1,126

262.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.44 ₹327

209.59%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.28 ₹121

169.53%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.40 ₹37.70

275.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.14 ₹13.68

578.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.52 ₹145

99.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.29 ₹217

101.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.67 ₹63.5

105.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.49 ₹46.36

277.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.54 ₹51.6

198.15%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$0.84 ₹80.0

208.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$5.00 ₹476

65.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$2.59 ₹246

223.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.13 ₹202

23.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.65 ₹62.0

129.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.13 ₹107

69.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.52 ₹49.34

301.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.44 ₹41.66

322.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.40 ₹38.40

465.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.71 ₹67.2

49.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.25 ₹23.75

336.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$4.59 ₹436

-9.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$5.07 ₹483

104.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.03 ₹193

-15.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.70 ₹256

-3.33%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$3.89 ₹370

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.12 ₹11.08

350.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$5.97 ₹568

351.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.89 ₹85.0

251.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.26 ₹24.63

865.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$1.75 ₹167

80.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.18 ₹112

7.63%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$11.8K ₹1.1M

158.18%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$20.1K ₹1.9M

17.27%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$43.13 ₹4,101

92.44%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$3.52 ₹335

545.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$6.43 ₹612

358.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$16.60 ₹1,578

207.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$5.95 ₹565

208.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$2.90 ₹276

70.00%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$39.33 ₹3,740

401.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$559 ₹53.1K

844.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$30.07 ₹2,859

22.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$30.17 ₹2,869

32.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$55.0 ₹5,229

45.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$41.81 ₹3,976

113.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$95.2 ₹9,049

905.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$72.7 ₹6,912

556.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$275 ₹26.2K

497.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$169 ₹16.1K

624.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$895 ₹85.1K

337.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$673 ₹64.0K

859.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$189 ₹18.0K

252.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.62

49.87%

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 Kozhikode: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $95.2 in Kozhikode. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 252% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $12.00 in Kozhikode. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $100 – making Kozhikode the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kozhikode: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $379 in Kozhikode – roughly 235% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $569 in Kozhikode. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kozhikode, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 351% less in Kozhikode. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $39.33 in Kozhikode. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kozhikode, where all-in costs run around $379, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Kozhikode it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $379 in Kozhikode to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kozhikode. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.