😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $834 in Kutahya.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,369 in Kutahya.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,904 in Kutahya.
🌍Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 52% more expensive than in Kutahya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen7% lower, Kutahya39% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Kutahya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60MX$200
$6.84₺333
69.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.11MX$811
$40.70₺1,985
15.75%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.88MX$205
$9.16₺446
29.69%
Cappuccino
$3.98MX$68.5
$3.37₺164
18.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43MX$24.57
$1.00₺48.80
43.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82MX$14.20
$0.43₺20.87
90.70%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.19MX$54.9
$5.18₺252
-38.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79MX$117
$6.03₺294
12.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Kutahya
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68MX$28.85
$1.18₺57.4
42.37%
White Bread(500g)
$2.20MX$37.83
$0.38₺18.29
478.95%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.71MX$29.41
$1.52₺74.4
12.50%
Eggs
$2.74MX$47.20
$1.45₺70.5
88.97%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.58MX$165
$9.20₺449
4.13%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.01MX$155
$2.62₺128
243.89%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.81MX$221
$18.20₺888
-29.62%
Apples(1kg)
$2.89MX$49.74
$0.52₺25.54
455.77%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$25.78
$1.80₺87.8
-16.67%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15MX$36.98
$0.75₺36.35
186.67%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.91
$0.74₺36.17
205.41%
Potato(1kg)
$1.98MX$34.10
$0.32₺15.68
518.75%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.26
$0.30₺14.57
563.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.23MX$21.25
$0.50₺24.14
146.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20MX$20.60
$0.49₺23.70
144.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55MX$78.3
$2.22₺108
104.95%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.37MX$179
$12.48₺609
-16.91%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62MX$27.88
$2.27₺111
-28.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88MX$49.60
$3.17₺155
-9.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Kutahya
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.60MX$10.34
$0.55₺26.91
9.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.80MX$496
$25.63₺1,250
12.37%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.39MX$92.8
$1.00₺48.84
439.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.73MX$64.2
$0.32₺15.68
1065.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.77MX$99.3
$6.56₺320
-12.04%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.54MX$26.45
$1.36₺66.2
13.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5KMX$388.3K
$49.8K₺2.4M
-54.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1KMX$448.7K
$42.0K₺2.0M
-37.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Kutahya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$91.4MX$1,573
$93.2₺4,542
-1.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.20MX$434
$11.04₺538
128.26%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.24MX$538
$15.28₺745
104.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Kutahya
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$67.2MX$1,157
$31.13₺1,518
115.87%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11MX$501
$20.83₺1,016
39.75%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86MX$83.7
$6.00₺292
-19.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Kutahya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$224MX$3,851
$1,039₺50.6K
-78.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,229MX$72.8K
$18.4K₺898.8K
-77.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Kutahya
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.10MX$811
$18.53₺904
154.18%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.29MX$763
$20.34₺992
117.75%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.1MX$1,379
$82.0₺3,998
-2.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7MX$1,596
$96.1₺4,686
-3.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Kutahya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,063MX$18.3K
$210₺10.2K
406.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$390MX$6,719
$188₺9,164
107.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,149MX$37.0K
$504₺24.6K
326.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,272MX$21.9K
$418₺20.4K
204.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,001MX$68.9K
$4,438₺216.4K
-9.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,502MX$112.0K
$2,446₺119.3K
165.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Kutahya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$758MX$13.1K
$711₺34.7K
6.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.45
40
-71.38%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026
Last update for Kutahya: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $210 in Kutahya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Playa del Carmen pays 7% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $41.00 in Kutahya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $195 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 in Kutahya?
Playa del Carmen and Kutahya differ by about 52% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $834 including rent). Kutahya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Playa del Carmen or Kutahya?
Average pay runs 7% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Kutahya?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $210 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 $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,039 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 42% 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 $834 in Kutahya versus $1,266 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 52% 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