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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $377 in Kozhikode, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $603 in Kozhikode, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $830 in Kozhikode, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 241% more than Kozhikode, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kozhikode are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Kozhikode 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$1.69 ₹161

606.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$11.74 ₹1,114

264.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$3.54 ₹336

199.15%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.22 ₹115

196.72%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.36 ₹34.46

308.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.15 ₹13.94

526.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.46 ₹139

111.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.26 ₹215

97.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.67 ₹63.5

113.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.45 ₹42.87

317.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.54 ₹51.7

201.85%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$0.88 ₹83.9

200.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$4.93 ₹468

66.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$2.50 ₹237

231.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.12 ₹201

25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$0.64 ₹60.9

134.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.13 ₹107

76.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.57 ₹53.8

264.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.44 ₹41.47

306.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.43 ₹40.97

406.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.70 ₹66.2

54.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.25 ₹23.46

316.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$4.53 ₹430

-12.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$5.31 ₹504

92.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.92 ₹183

-9.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.65 ₹252

-5.66%

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

$3.96 ₹376

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.11 ₹10.86

372.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$5.87 ₹557

359.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.98 ₹92.7

220.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.28 ₹26.80

757.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$1.78 ₹169

73.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.18 ₹112

7.63%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$11.5K ₹1.1M

169.39%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$19.7K ₹1.9M

18.16%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$43.59 ₹4,139

88.14%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$3.45 ₹328

550.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$6.25 ₹594

374.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$16.18 ₹1,536

220.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$5.92 ₹562

215.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$2.94 ₹279

69.05%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$39.35 ₹3,736

402.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$556 ₹52.8K

848.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$31.00 ₹2,943

17.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$30.00 ₹2,849

33.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$54.5 ₹5,177

46.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$43.22 ₹4,103

105.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$98.7 ₹9,373

875.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$72.9 ₹6,925

537.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$279 ₹26.5K

471.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$170 ₹16.1K

612.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$902 ₹85.7K

336.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$683 ₹64.8K

844.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$187 ₹17.8K

285.20%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Kozhikode: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $98.7 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 285% 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: $251 vs $99.0 – 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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $377 in Kozhikode – roughly 241% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $566 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 359% less in Kozhikode. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $39.35 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 $377, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $377 in Kozhikode to $1,287 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.