Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Prachuap Khiri Khan Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Prachuap Khiri Khan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $951 in Prachuap Khiri Khan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,536 in Prachuap Khiri Khan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,122 in Prachuap Khiri Khan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 36% more than Prachuap Khiri Khan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Prachuap Khiri Khan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Prachuap Khiri Khan 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$1.26 ฿41.02

830.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$30.78 ฿1,005

35.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.25 ฿204

70.24%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.57 ฿84.1

36.96%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.44 ฿14.42

243.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.23 ฿7.54

321.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.47 ฿80.8

19.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.96 ฿129

12.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.36 ฿44.45

1.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.12 ฿36.47

68.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.43 ฿46.61

14.69%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.17 ฿71.0

15.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$18.64 ฿609

-55.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$2.96 ฿96.7

181.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.56 ฿312

12.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.51 ฿114

-25.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.78 ฿58.2

-17.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.20 ฿71.7

-13.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.86 ฿60.7

11.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.67 ฿54.5

6.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.42 ฿46.52

54.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.97 ฿31.76

7.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.42 ฿13.59

157.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.39 ฿143

-7.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$15.02 ฿491

-31.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.84 ฿60.2

-7.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.41 ฿111

-24.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.89 ฿29.01

-42.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.10 ฿36.05

196.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.20 ฿39.28

107.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$6.04 ฿197

-46.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.20 ฿39.27

9.17%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$36.4K ฿1.2M

-16.70%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$28.9K ฿944.9K

-19.01%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$88.9 ฿2,903

-6.77%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$12.64 ฿413

75.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$17.41 ฿568

68.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$48.83 ฿1,595

5.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$12.07 ฿394

51.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$7.87 ฿257

-35.58%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$594 ฿19.4K

-66.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$13.2K ฿432.2K

-60.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$57.7 ฿1,884

-36.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$38.70 ฿1,264

2.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$106 ฿3,478

-26.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$93.1 ฿3,041

-6.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$416 ฿13.6K

134.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$284 ฿9,284

64.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$821 ฿26.8K

99.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$658 ฿21.5K

85.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,965 ฿64.2K

100.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,504 ฿49.1K

332.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$402 ฿13.1K

64.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

128.40%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Prachuap Khiri Khan: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $416 in Prachuap Khiri Khan. 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 65% 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 Prachuap Khiri Khan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $248 – making Prachuap Khiri Khan 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 Prachuap Khiri Khan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 36%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,426 in Prachuap Khiri Khan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Prachuap Khiri Khan, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $951 in Prachuap Khiri Khan. 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 $594 in Prachuap Khiri Khan. 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 Prachuap Khiri Khan, where all-in costs run around $951, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Prachuap Khiri Khan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Prachuap Khiri Khan – 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 Prachuap Khiri Khan. 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.