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 $467 per month in Garissa vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $774 per month in Garissa vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,082 per month in Garissa vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Garissa is about 63% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Garissa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Garissa 65% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.55 KES 846

$11.99 MX$210

-45.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.28 KES 3,008

$41.78 MX$731

-44.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.78 KES 359

$10.75 MX$188

-74.14%

Cappuccino

$4.36 KES 563

$3.50 MX$61.1

24.57%

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

$1.15 KES 148

$1.45 MX$25.33

-20.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 KES 87.5

$0.88 MX$15.47

-22.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 KES 243

$2.95 MX$51.6

-36.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 354

$4.51 MX$78.9

-39.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 111

$1.43 MX$25.04

-39.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 66.8

$1.84 MX$32.13

-71.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 KES 142

$1.57 MX$27.42

-29.94%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 219

$2.51 MX$43.92

-32.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.28 KES 811

$8.43 MX$147

-25.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.31 KES 557

$10.68 MX$187

-59.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 KES 391

$2.61 MX$45.62

16.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 KES 304

$1.44 MX$25.15

63.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 KES 405

$1.96 MX$34.31

60.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 88.2

$2.09 MX$36.62

-67.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 KES 112

$1.85 MX$32.37

-53.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 KES 145

$2.17 MX$37.90

-47.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 84.8

$1.03 MX$18.04

-35.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 62.1

$1.07 MX$18.78

-55.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 KES 306

$4.10 MX$71.7

-42.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.65 KES 730

$10.17 MX$178

-44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 KES 237

$1.68 MX$29.29

8.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 KES 432

$2.53 MX$44.17

32.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 KES 304

$3.23 MX$56.5

-26.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.32 MX$23.10

-18.94%

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

$29.7K MX$519.2K

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

$9,144 KES 1.2M

$23.7K MX$413.7K

-61.36%

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

$15.34 KES 1,982

$82.0 MX$1,434

-81.29%

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

$22.95 MX$401

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.96 KES 2,967

$30.11 MX$527

-23.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.01 KES 2,973

$52.0 MX$909

-55.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.0

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

$197 MX$3,452

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.45 KES 1,480

$35.60 MX$622

-67.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.86 KES 1,015

$40.33 MX$705

-80.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.53 KES 3,040

$78.8 MX$1,377

-70.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$22.86 KES 2,953

$88.9 MX$1,555

-74.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$103 KES 13.3K

$947 MX$16.6K

-89.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.1 KES 9,831

$474 MX$8,288

-83.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$193 KES 24.9K

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-88.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 KES 22.1K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-85.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$130 KES 16.8K

$654 MX$11.4K

-80.17%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $103 in Garissa versus $947 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 404% 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: $155 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: $467 in Garissa, $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 169% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $700 per month in Garissa and $1,884 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 $467 in Garissa and $1,256 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 $467, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $467 in Garissa to $1,256 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.