😐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 Carmen4% lower, Nonthaburi36% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Nonthaburi
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$3.05฿99.9
291.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$21.76฿712
96.46%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$5.99฿196
76.79%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$2.09฿68.3
73.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$0.67฿22.06
119.40%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.27฿8.76
248.15%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$1.96฿64.0
57.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$3.61฿118
23.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Nonthaburi
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.52฿49.81
-5.92%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$1.35฿44.05
39.26%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$1.20฿39.31
35.83%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$2.27฿74.4
16.30%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$18.60฿608
-55.86%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$2.80฿91.6
196.07%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$9.33฿305
18.97%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$3.55฿116
-25.35%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$1.74฿56.9
-13.79%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$1.89฿61.7
5.29%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$1.52฿49.80
36.84%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$1.66฿54.2
7.83%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$1.45฿47.39
50.34%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$1.11฿36.20
-2.70%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.49฿16.16
112.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$4.45฿146
-10.79%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$15.56฿509
-34.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$1.80฿58.9
-3.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$3.36฿110
-25.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Nonthaburi
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$0.89฿29.26
-41.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
$36.34฿1,188
-25.78%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$1.06฿34.57
196.23%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$1.16฿37.79
106.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$4.10฿134
-24.63%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$1.28฿41.82
-0.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$36.7K฿1.2M
-15.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$28.0K฿915.1K
-16.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Nonthaburi
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$90.6฿2,963
-9.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$13.31฿435
68.67%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$17.04฿557
74.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Nonthaburi
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$53.4฿1,747
-2.90%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
$12.27฿401
52.16%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$6.29฿206
-20.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Nonthaburi
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$434฿14.2K
-54.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$13.1K฿429.3K
-59.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Nonthaburi
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$30.64฿1,002
18.60%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$39.45฿1,290
1.52%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$105฿3,438
-24.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$87.9฿2,873
1.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Nonthaburi
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$730฿23.9K
31.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$187฿6,104
148.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$846฿27.7K
88.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$443฿14.5K
173.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
$2,346฿76.7K
68.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Nonthaburi
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
$772฿25.3K
-6.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
5.84
95.55%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para 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.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Nonthaburi: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Nonthaburi cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
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.
What income do you need for each city?
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.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Nonthaburi?
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.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 35% less in Nonthaburi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Nonthaburi?
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.
Is Playa del Carmen or Nonthaburi more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Nonthaburi?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado