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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $861 in Nonthaburi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,380 in Nonthaburi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,899 in Nonthaburi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 49% more than Nonthaburi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Nonthaburi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Nonthaburi 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.05 ฿99.9

291.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$21.76 ฿712

96.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$5.99 ฿196

76.79%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.09 ฿68.3

73.21%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.67 ฿22.06

119.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.27 ฿8.76

248.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.96 ฿64.0

57.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.61 ฿118

23.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.52 ฿49.81

-5.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.35 ฿44.05

39.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.20 ฿39.31

35.83%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.27 ฿74.4

16.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$18.60 ฿608

-55.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$2.80 ฿91.6

196.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$9.33 ฿305

18.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.55 ฿116

-25.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.74 ฿56.9

-13.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.89 ฿61.7

5.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.52 ฿49.80

36.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.66 ฿54.2

7.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.45 ฿47.39

50.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.11 ฿36.20

-2.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.49 ฿16.16

112.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$4.45 ฿146

-10.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$15.56 ฿509

-34.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.80 ฿58.9

-3.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.36 ฿110

-25.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.89 ฿29.26

-41.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$36.34 ฿1,188

-25.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.06 ฿34.57

196.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.16 ฿37.79

106.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$4.10 ฿134

-24.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.28 ฿41.82

-0.78%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$36.7K ฿1.2M

-15.86%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$28.0K ฿915.1K

-16.69%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$90.6 ฿2,963

-9.49%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$13.31 ฿435

68.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$17.04 ฿557

74.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$53.4 ฿1,747

-2.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$12.27 ฿401

52.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.29 ฿206

-20.99%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$434 ฿14.2K

-54.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$13.1K ฿429.3K

-59.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$30.64 ฿1,002

18.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$39.45 ฿1,290

1.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$105 ฿3,438

-24.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$87.9 ฿2,873

1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$730 ฿23.9K

31.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$187 ฿6,104

148.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$846 ฿27.7K

88.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$443 ฿14.5K

173.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,346 ฿76.7K

68.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$772 ฿25.3K

-6.73%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Nonthaburi: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $730 in Nonthaburi. 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 7% higher in Nonthaburi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $22.00 in Nonthaburi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $249 – making Nonthaburi 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 Nonthaburi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 49%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,292 in Nonthaburi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nonthaburi, 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $861 in Nonthaburi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 35% less in Nonthaburi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nonthaburi, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Nonthaburi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nonthaburi – 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 Nonthaburi. 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.