Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Nakhon Sawan Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Nakhon Sawan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $961 in Nakhon Sawan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,544 in Nakhon Sawan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,127 in Nakhon Sawan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 31% more than Nakhon Sawan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Nakhon Sawan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Nakhon Sawan 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.03 ฿101

286.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$31.06 ฿1,036

34.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.26 ฿209

67.89%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.56 ฿51.9

130.13%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.38 ฿12.84

297.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.27 ฿8.88

240.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.42 ฿80.7

22.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.97 ฿132

11.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.81 ฿60.2

-22.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.41 ฿46.95

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.40 ฿46.68

11.43%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.70 ฿56.6

53.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$18.38 ฿613

-54.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$3.02 ฿101

176.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$9.42 ฿314

15.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.52 ฿117

-23.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.79 ฿26.49

91.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.29 ฿76.3

-18.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.94 ฿64.6

12.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.21 ฿40.39

53.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.25 ฿41.66

78.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.01 ฿33.81

5.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.53 ฿17.54

105.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.73 ฿90.9

53.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$17.48 ฿583

-40.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.70 ฿56.6

-2.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.36 ฿112

-22.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.64 ฿21.26

-15.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.06 ฿35.48

190.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.19 ฿39.77

101.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$6.10 ฿204

-48.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.24 ฿41.28

5.65%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$37.7K ฿1.3M

-20.84%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$28.7K ฿957.7K

-18.76%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$88.2 ฿2,941

-7.81%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$12.75 ฿425

76.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$16.97 ฿566

77.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$49.07 ฿1,637

7.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$12.34 ฿412

49.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$7.91 ฿264

-37.80%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$592 ฿19.7K

-66.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$13.3K ฿444.0K

-61.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$57.1 ฿1,903

-37.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$38.08 ฿1,270

5.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$104 ฿3,474

-23.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$92.5 ฿3,085

-6.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$426 ฿14.2K

129.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$284 ฿9,472

65.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$804 ฿26.8K

105.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$663 ฿22.1K

81.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,905 ฿63.5K

107.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,626 ฿54.3K

306.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$471 ฿15.7K

43.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.84

95.55%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Nakhon Sawan: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $426 in Nakhon Sawan. 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 44% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $31.00 in Nakhon Sawan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $251 – making Nakhon Sawan 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 Nakhon Sawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,442 in Nakhon Sawan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nakhon Sawan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $961 in Nakhon Sawan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $592 in Nakhon Sawan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nakhon Sawan, where all-in costs run around $961, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Nakhon Sawan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nakhon Sawan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Nakhon Sawan. 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.