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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $376 per month in Garissa vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $657 per month in Garissa vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $938 per month in Garissa vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Garissa is about 71% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Garissa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Garissa 73% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.69 KES 1,512

$11.71 MX$198

-0.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.22 KES 3,005

$46.59 MX$788

-50.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

Cappuccino

$7.79 KES 1,008

$4.09 MX$69.2

90.46%

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

$1.97 KES 255

$1.37 MX$23.23

43.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 KES 148

$0.83 MX$14.09

37.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$0.52 KES 67.0

$1.73 MX$29.20

-69.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 KES 76.7

$2.26 MX$38.21

-73.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 KES 186

$1.77 MX$29.91

-18.64%

Eggs

$1.92 KES 248

$2.73 MX$46.19

-29.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 KES 822

$8.92 MX$151

-28.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.36 KES 694

$12.60 MX$213

-57.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 KES 511

$3.02 MX$51.1

30.79%

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 KES 395

$1.57 MX$26.55

94.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.52 KES 584

$2.13 MX$35.93

112.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 KES 95.9

$2.26 MX$38.28

-67.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 KES 162

$2.00 MX$33.88

-37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 KES 201

$2.06 MX$34.90

-24.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 KES 298

$1.18 MX$19.94

94.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 66.5

$1.20 MX$20.35

-57.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

Wine (Bottle)

$5.89 KES 762

$10.69 MX$181

-44.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 KES 217

$1.62 MX$27.38

3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 KES 490

$2.88 MX$48.70

31.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

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

$25.04 MX$423

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

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

$225 MX$3,803

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$132 KES 17.1K

$749 MX$12.7K

-82.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Garissa: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 467% 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 $23.00 in Garissa versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $182 vs $277 – making Garissa 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $376 in Garissa, $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 244% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $564 per month in Garissa and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Garissa and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $376 in Garissa and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Garissa, where all-in costs run around $376, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Garissa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $376 in Garissa to $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Garissa. 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.