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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,315 in Kretinga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,177 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,014 in Kretinga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,095 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,713 in Kretinga.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 4% less than in Kretinga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Kretinga 2% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Kretinga
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.95 MX$209
$11.44 €10.05
4.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.94 MX$734
$68.3 €60.0
-38.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.42 MX$182
$7.09 €6.24
46.97%
Cappuccino
$3.51 MX$61.5
$3.02 €2.66
16.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 MX$26.53
$2.08 €1.83
-26.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.93
$1.94 €1.71
-53.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.04 MX$53.2
$5.23 €4.59
-41.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37 MX$76.5
$5.19 €4.56
-15.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Kretinga
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.42 MX$24.86
$1.33 €1.17
6.77%
White Bread (500g)
$1.83 MX$32.03
$1.58 €1.39
15.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 MX$28.60
$2.00 €1.76
-18.50%
Eggs
$2.54 MX$44.43
$2.79 €2.46
-8.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.57 MX$150
$10.53 €9.26
-18.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.49 MX$149
$5.16 €4.54
64.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.80 MX$189
$10.17 €8.94
6.19%
Apples (1kg)
$2.75 MX$48.19
$1.38 €1.21
99.28%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 MX$25.13
$1.68 €1.47
-14.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 MX$33.00
$1.72 €1.51
9.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.96
$3.16 €2.77
-31.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 MX$31.13
$0.79 €0.70
125.32%
Onion (1kg)
$2.22 MX$38.91
$1.00 €0.88
122.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.70
$1.54 €1.35
-30.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 MX$18.89
$0.80 €0.71
35.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15 MX$72.5
$5.69 €5.00
-27.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.45 MX$183
$8.47 €7.44
23.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 MX$30.50
$1.71 €1.51
1.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 MX$45.16
$1.71 €1.50
50.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Kretinga
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$8.98
$1.15 €1.01
-55.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.94 MX$454
$34.16 €30.03
-24.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.21 MX$56.2
$3.12 €2.74
2.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.50 MX$43.78
$1.15 €1.01
117.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.19 MX$55.7
$13.52 €11.88
-76.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 MX$21.98
$1.63 €1.43
-22.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K MX$519.3K
$34.4K €30.2K
-13.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7K MX$414.3K
$28.6K €25.2K
-17.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Kretinga
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,435
$210 €185
-61.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.73 MX$398
$14.00 €12.31
62.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.42 MX$515
$14.82 €13.03
98.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Kretinga
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.2 MX$913
$41.38 €36.38
26.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.45 MX$323
$23.02 €20.24
-19.85%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93 MX$86.3
$9.19 €8.08
-46.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Kretinga
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$202 MX$3,530
$471 €414
-57.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,217 MX$91.3K
$9,201 €8,089
-43.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Kretinga
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.93 MX$629
$89.0 €78.2
-59.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.33 MX$706
$42.17 €37.07
-4.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 MX$1,397
$82.9 €72.9
-3.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,562
$133 €117
-32.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Kretinga
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$948 MX$16.6K
$531 €467
78.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$465 MX$8,140
$355 €312
31.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,630 MX$28.5K
$819 €720
98.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,193 MX$20.9K
$650 €572
83.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,933 MX$68.8K
$2,763 €2,429
42.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,428 MX$112.4K
$1,504 €1,322
327.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Kretinga
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$658 MX$11.5K
$1,151 €1,012
-42.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
4.13
176.51%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Last update for Kretinga: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $948 in Playa del Carmen and $531 in Kretinga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kretinga pays 75% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $68.0 in Kretinga. Groceries flip the comparison at $252 vs $225, with Kretinga cheaper for home cooking.

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 Kretinga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kretinga cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Playa del Carmen or Kretinga?
On paper, salaries run 75% lower in Kretinga. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Kretinga?
Rent for a central apartment: $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $531 in Kretinga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 32% less than in Kretinga. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $202 in Playa del Carmen versus $471 in Kretinga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Kretinga?
At $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,315 in Kretinga, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Kretinga. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Playa del Carmen or Kretinga more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kretinga, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Kretinga?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Kretinga are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Kretinga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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