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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $474 in Kiambu versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $774 in Kiambu versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,075 in Kiambu versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Kiambu costs roughly 64% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kiambu 66% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.97 KES 513

$11.96 MX$203

-66.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.24 KES 4,427

$47.38 MX$804

-27.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.01 KES 777

$11.75 MX$199

-48.85%

Cappuccino

$2.71 KES 350

$4.12 MX$70.0

-34.22%

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

$0.55 KES 71.3

$1.40 MX$23.74

-60.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 KES 67.7

$0.91 MX$15.48

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 KES 296

$3.21 MX$54.4

-28.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 KES 344

$7.07 MX$120

-62.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.54 KES 69.6

$1.68 MX$28.44

-67.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KES 65.3

$2.15 MX$36.48

-76.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 KES 244

$1.77 MX$30.10

6.78%

Eggs

$1.42 KES 184

$2.82 MX$47.76

-49.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.54 KES 1,363

$9.20 MX$156

14.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 KES 814

$9.23 MX$157

-31.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.07 KES 526

$12.64 MX$214

-67.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 KES 420

$2.95 MX$50.1

10.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 KES 130

$1.58 MX$26.79

-36.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 KES 97.8

$2.22 MX$37.70

-65.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 KES 77.0

$2.36 MX$40.09

-74.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 88.4

$1.99 MX$33.81

-65.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 KES 93.9

$1.98 MX$33.58

-63.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 KES 38.67

$1.24 MX$21.04

-75.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 KES 52.0

$1.21 MX$20.55

-66.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 KES 447

$4.60 MX$78.1

-25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 KES 1,518

$10.52 MX$178

11.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 KES 296

$1.69 MX$28.70

35.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 354

$2.77 MX$47.06

-1.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 KES 87.6

$0.60 MX$10.22

13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 KES 201

$5.24 MX$88.8

-70.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 KES 48.15

$3.65 MX$61.9

-89.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 384

$5.78 MX$98.1

-48.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 KES 204

$1.54 MX$26.09

1.95%

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

-11.83%

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

$19.6K KES 2.5M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-24.13%

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

$60.0 KES 7,754

$90.7 MX$1,538

-33.86%

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

$7.74 KES 1,001

$25.19 MX$427

-69.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.57 KES 4,599

$31.75 MX$539

12.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.87 KES 759

$4.86 MX$82.5

20.78%

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

$243 KES 31.4K

$226 MX$3,828

7.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K KES 1.5M

$4,194 MX$71.1K

173.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.69 KES 3,451

$47.38 MX$804

-43.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.86 KES 3,343

$43.45 MX$737

-40.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.0 KES 8,269

$80.2 MX$1,361

-20.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.0 KES 7,882

$91.4 MX$1,550

-33.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 KES 15.1K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-89.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,149 KES 148.6K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-71.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$122 KES 15.8K

$773 MX$13.1K

-84.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

11.45

28.47%

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

Last update for Kiambu: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $117 in Kiambu and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 533% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $34.00 in Kiambu vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $177 vs $278 per month, with Kiambu cheaper across the board.

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

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

Kiambu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 176% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 533% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $117 in Kiambu versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $243 in Kiambu versus $226 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kiambu – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $474 in Kiambu versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kiambu but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Kiambu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kiambu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Kiambu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 176% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.