Cost of Living Comparison Between Prachin Buri and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Prachin Buri and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $868 per month in Prachin Buri vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Prachin Buri vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,992 per month in Prachin Buri vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Prachin Buri is about 33% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Prachin Buri and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Prachin Buri 35% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 ฿118

$11.94 MX$208

-69.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.03 ฿1,009

$42.75 MX$744

-27.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.35 ฿304

$10.59 MX$184

-11.71%

Cappuccino

$2.18 ฿70.8

$3.62 MX$63.0

-39.78%

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

$0.84 ฿27.40

$1.47 MX$25.54

-42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.17

$0.94 MX$16.41

-60.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿79.2

$3.09 MX$53.8

-21.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 ฿82.0

$4.46 MX$77.6

-43.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ฿48.66

$1.43 MX$24.80

4.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ฿40.82

$1.88 MX$32.79

-32.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ฿32.66

$1.63 MX$28.34

-38.65%

Eggs

$1.67 ฿54.4

$2.64 MX$45.99

-36.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.57 ฿344

$8.21 MX$143

28.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.64 ฿85.8

$8.29 MX$144

-68.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.01 ฿358

$11.10 MX$193

-0.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿105

$2.65 MX$46.14

22.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 ฿25.84

$1.50 MX$26.11

-47.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ฿61.8

$1.99 MX$34.59

-4.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 ฿35.44

$2.08 MX$36.13

-47.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.55

$1.79 MX$31.11

-31.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿37.78

$2.18 MX$37.87

-46.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 ฿53.3

$1.08 MX$18.73

51.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.58

$1.04 MX$18.04

-62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿149

$3.97 MX$69.1

15.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 ฿408

$10.20 MX$178

23.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ฿56.8

$1.73 MX$30.04

1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ฿74.4

$2.50 MX$43.46

-8.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.75

$0.52 MX$9.02

69.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ฿34.29

$3.14 MX$54.7

-66.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿42.38

$2.40 MX$41.80

-45.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 ฿111

$3.09 MX$53.7

10.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ฿34.25

$1.27 MX$22.16

-17.32%

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

$26.3K ฿853.6K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-14.97%

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

$26.7K ฿867.7K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

14.48%

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

$79.3 ฿2,579

$82.0 MX$1,427

-3.28%

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

$13.86 ฿451

$22.45 MX$391

-38.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.15 ฿330

$29.66 MX$516

-65.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.30 ฿1,570

$51.9 MX$903

-6.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.28 ฿399

$18.67 MX$325

-34.23%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿243

$4.97 MX$86.5

50.50%

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

$297 ฿9,666

$198 MX$3,442

50.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,142 ฿297.2K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

73.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.44 ฿957

$36.34 MX$632

-18.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.47 ฿633

$40.05 MX$697

-51.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 ฿3,305

$79.9 MX$1,390

27.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.71 ฿1,421

$88.9 MX$1,547

-50.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿13.8K

$963 MX$16.8K

-55.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,355

$465 MX$8,086

-38.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 ฿26.4K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-49.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 ฿21.0K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-46.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,922 ฿62.5K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-51.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,638 ฿53.2K

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-74.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$467 ฿15.2K

$720 MX$12.5K

-35.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

11.42

-52.28%

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

Last update for Prachin Buri: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Prachin Buri versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. 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 54% 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 $31.00 in Prachin Buri versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $251 – making Prachin Buri 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

Prachin Buri vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 48%, 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 $1,302 per month in Prachin Buri and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Prachin Buri, 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 $868 in Prachin Buri and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $297 per month in Prachin Buri and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Prachin Buri, where all-in costs run around $868, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Prachin Buri it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Prachin Buri – 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 Prachin Buri. 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.