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 $461 per month in Garissa vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $775 per month in Garissa vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,089 per month in Garissa vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Garissa is about 64% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Garissa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Garissa 66% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.38 KES 827

$11.73 MX$203

-45.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.95 KES 2,974

$41.62 MX$720

-44.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.67 KES 346

$10.64 MX$184

-74.91%

Cappuccino

$4.16 KES 539

$3.52 MX$60.9

18.18%

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

$1.10 KES 143

$1.51 MX$26.12

-27.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 KES 87.9

$0.97 MX$16.84

-29.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 KES 246

$2.95 MX$51.0

-35.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 KES 343

$4.45 MX$77.0

-40.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 KES 109

$1.38 MX$23.93

-39.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 KES 66.3

$1.89 MX$32.72

-73.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$1.64 MX$28.32

-29.88%

Eggs

$1.65 KES 214

$2.51 MX$43.34

-34.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 KES 819

$8.34 MX$144

-24.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.25 KES 550

$10.73 MX$186

-60.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 KES 408

$2.60 MX$45.04

21.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 KES 296

$1.46 MX$25.20

56.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 KES 399

$1.90 MX$32.87

62.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 83.4

$2.08 MX$35.91

-69.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 KES 112

$1.78 MX$30.71

-51.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 KES 148

$2.19 MX$37.80

-47.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 KES 90.2

$1.04 MX$17.99

-32.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 KES 57.2

$1.08 MX$18.62

-59.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.29 KES 297

$4.08 MX$70.6

-43.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.66 KES 733

$10.32 MX$178

-45.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 KES 243

$1.71 MX$29.61

9.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 KES 414

$2.58 MX$44.54

24.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 KES 299

$3.26 MX$56.4

-29.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 KES 140

$1.31 MX$22.61

-17.56%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$9,343 KES 1.2M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-60.12%

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

$15.74 KES 2,040

$82.9 MX$1,433

-81.01%

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.24 KES 3,011

$29.34 MX$507

-20.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.82 KES 2,956

$51.6 MX$893

-55.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.81 KES 1,531

$36.92 MX$639

-68.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.53 KES 976

$39.79 MX$688

-81.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.75 KES 2,948

$78.5 MX$1,357

-71.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$23.61 KES 3,058

$87.1 MX$1,506

-72.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$99.9 KES 12.9K

$973 MX$16.8K

-89.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.2 KES 10.0K

$468 MX$8,090

-83.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 KES 24.8K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-88.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 KES 22.5K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-85.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$128 KES 16.6K

$664 MX$11.5K

-80.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Garissa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $99.9 in Garissa versus $973 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 419% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $154 vs $249 – 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: $461 in Garissa, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 181% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $691 per month in Garissa and $1,945 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 Garissa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Garissa and $42.00 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 $461 in Garissa and $1,297 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 $461, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $461 in Garissa to $1,297 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.