😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $897 in Kutahya.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,555 in Kutahya.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,214 in Kutahya.
😐Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 43% more expensive than Kutahya, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen4% lower, Kutahya33% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Kutahya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$3.87₺175
208.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$15.26₺689
180.14%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$7.27₺328
45.67%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$3.24₺146
11.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$1.04₺46.77
41.35%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.40₺17.84
135.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$3.28₺148
-5.79%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$3.45₺156
29.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Kutahya
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$0.95₺42.76
50.53%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$0.69₺31.34
172.46%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$2.30₺104
-29.13%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$2.29₺103
15.28%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$9.63₺435
-14.75%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$5.96₺269
39.09%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$19.17₺865
-42.10%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$1.52₺68.4
74.34%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$2.35₺106
-36.17%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$1.26₺56.9
57.94%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$1.54₺69.6
35.06%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$0.72₺32.56
148.61%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$0.62₺27.91
251.61%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$1.08₺48.92
-
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.42₺19.12
147.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$2.21₺99.7
79.64%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$11.09₺501
-8.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$2.09₺94.3
-17.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$3.10₺140
-19.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Kutahya
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$0.67₺30.03
-22.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
$30.83₺1,392
-12.52%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$0.85₺38.22
269.41%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$0.65₺29.15
269.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$6.25₺282
-50.56%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$1.19₺53.7
6.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$43.3K₺2.0M
-28.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$43.8K₺2.0M
-46.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Kutahya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$86.8₺3,920
-5.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$10.74₺485
109.03%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$13.79₺622
115.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Kutahya
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$43.26₺1,953
19.90%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$6.41₺289
-22.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Kutahya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$606₺27.3K
-67.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$13.6K₺614.5K
-61.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Kutahya
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$56.8₺2,564
-36.01%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$44.99₺2,031
-10.98%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$108₺4,878
-26.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$98.2₺4,433
-9.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Kutahya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$284₺12.8K
239.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$202₺9,122
129.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$892₺40.3K
78.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$700₺31.6K
72.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
$4,957₺223.8K
-20.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
$2,698₺121.8K
138.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Kutahya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
$765₺34.5K
-5.82%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
48.4
-76.40%
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 Kutahya: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $284 in Kutahya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Kutahya pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $15.00 in Kutahya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $237 per month, with Kutahya 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 Kutahya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and Kutahya?
Playa del Carmen and Kutahya differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $897 including rent). Kutahya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Kutahya earns 6% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Kutahya?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $284 in Kutahya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Playa del Carmen and Kutahya?
Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $606 in Kutahya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $897 in Kutahya versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kutahya but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Kutahya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Kutahya?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Playa del Carmen or Kutahya safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Kutahya are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Kutahya?
Expats usually find Kutahya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared