Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Krems

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,172 in Krems, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Krems, Austria
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Krems
🇦🇹 Austria
$2,172
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Krems

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Krems actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,172 in Krems, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Krems $2,172

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,204 in Krems, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Krems $3,204

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,237 in Krems, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Krems $4,237

Playa del Carmen is about 45% cheaper than Krems, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Krems is 60% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Krems
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$203
$16.62 €14.90
-34.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$808
$76.8 €68.9
-43.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$219
$12.40 €11.11
-5.00%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.0
$4.47 €4.01
-14.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.89
$3.89 €3.49
-67.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.58
$2.86 €2.56
-72.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.0
$5.98 €5.36
-46.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$91.9
$5.48 €4.91
-10.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Krems
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.20
$1.47 €1.32
-4.08%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.30
$2.26 €2.03
-1.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.40
$1.69 €1.52
-15.98%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.00
$3.71 €3.32
-32.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$135
$19.42 €17.40
-62.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$143
$8.75 €7.84
-12.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$236
$21.13 €18.93
-39.94%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.9
$2.77 €2.48
0.36%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.49
$2.35 €2.11
-41.70%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.52
$2.81 €2.52
-9.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.55
$5.33 €4.78
-60.23%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.11
$1.70 €1.52
14.12%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.13
$2.37 €2.13
-20.25%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.36
$1.90 €1.70
-39.47%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$21.96
$0.75 €0.67
57.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.0
$7.00 €6.27
-38.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$185
$6.71 €6.01
48.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.50
$0.68 €0.61
132.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$49.76
$1.77 €1.59
50.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Krems
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.31
$2.42 €2.17
-77.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$496
$51.1 €45.81
-47.94%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$92.6
$7.03 €6.30
-29.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.1
$1.15 €1.03
189.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$99.8
$27.38 €24.54
-80.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.90
$1.88 €1.69
-23.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$385.0K
$30.2K €27.0K
-31.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$437.2K
$33.6K €30.1K
-30.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Krems
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,580
$291 €261
-70.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$436
$9.83 €8.80
138.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$534
$39.58 €35.47
-27.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Krems
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,063
$40.17 €36.00
42.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$539
$19.77 €17.71
46.23%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$95.7
$13.21 €11.83
-61.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Krems
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,848
$447 €401
-53.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.2K
$13.7K €12.3K
-71.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Krems
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$808
$102 €91.0
-57.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$772
$40.44 €36.24
2.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,382
$128 €115
-42.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,663
$125 €112
-28.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Krems
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.2K
$990 €887
-1.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,095
$885 €793
-56.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.8K
$1,579 €1,415
8.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.0K
$1,416 €1,269
-24.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.5K
$6,767 €6,064
-41.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$114.7K
$5,559 €4,982
10.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Krems
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.7K
$2,661 €2,384
-72.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
3.66
212.84%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Krems: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Krems
$885 132% $504
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Krems
$337 32.2% $82
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Krems
$292 44.1% $89
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Krems
$341 149% $204
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Krems
$178 59.1% $66
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Krems
$67 1.1% $0.7
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Krems
$74 45.9% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $990 in Krems. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Krems are about 3.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $77 in Krems. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $337 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇦🇹 Krems
🕒 Local time
20:23 8:23 PM
02:23 2:23 AM
6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
12,500
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18.63 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.74 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Krems 9,200 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Krems

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Krems: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Krems?
Krems costs about 80% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Krems?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,258 in Krems. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen compared to Krems?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $980 in Playa del Carmen and $990 in Krems. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or in Krems?
Groceries cost about 32% more in Krems, though the gap depends on what you buy.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Krems?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen and $77 in Krems. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or in Krems?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Krems at $2,172. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Krems it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Playa del Carmen or Krems?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $2,172 in Krems. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or to Krems?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Krems makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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