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: $489 in Kiambu versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $759 in Kiambu versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,030 in Kiambu versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Kiambu costs roughly 61% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kiambu 63% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.12 KES 403

$11.99 MX$210

-73.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.07 KES 2,464

$41.78 MX$733

-54.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.74 KES 613

$10.75 MX$189

-55.91%

Cappuccino

$1.91 KES 246

$3.50 MX$61.3

-45.43%

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

$0.50 KES 64.3

$1.45 MX$25.41

-65.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 KES 47.13

$0.88 MX$15.52

-59.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 KES 224

$2.95 MX$51.7

-41.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 KES 302

$4.51 MX$79.1

-48.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 KES 82.5

$1.43 MX$25.12

-55.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 69.2

$1.84 MX$32.23

-70.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 KES 214

$1.57 MX$27.51

5.73%

Eggs

$1.29 KES 167

$2.51 MX$44.06

-48.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.83 KES 1,529

$8.28 MX$145

42.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 KES 874

$8.43 MX$148

-19.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.17 KES 539

$10.68 MX$187

-60.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 KES 395

$2.61 MX$45.76

17.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.44 MX$25.22

-25.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 KES 104

$1.96 MX$34.41

-58.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 KES 76.8

$2.09 MX$36.74

-71.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 KES 75.6

$1.85 MX$32.47

-68.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 KES 98.1

$2.17 MX$38.02

-64.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 KES 41.55

$1.03 MX$18.09

-68.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 KES 48.13

$1.07 MX$18.84

-65.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 KES 389

$4.10 MX$72.0

-26.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.50 KES 1,486

$10.17 MX$178

13.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 KES 297

$1.68 MX$29.38

36.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 KES 367

$2.53 MX$44.31

12.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 KES 72.1

$0.51 MX$8.93

9.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 197

$3.23 MX$56.7

-52.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 KES 52.6

$2.41 MX$42.19

-82.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 KES 366

$3.23 MX$56.6

-12.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 KES 196

$1.32 MX$23.17

15.15%

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

$21.7K KES 2.8M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-26.91%

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

$19.9K KES 2.6M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-15.88%

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

$28.46 KES 3,678

$82.0 MX$1,439

-65.30%

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

$7.90 KES 1,021

$22.95 MX$403

-65.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.86 KES 3,729

$30.11 MX$528

-4.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.68 KES 1,509

$52.0 MX$912

-77.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$5.93 KES 767

$4.98 MX$87.3

19.08%

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

$201 KES 26.0K

$197 MX$3,463

1.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,976 KES 1.0M

$5,336 MX$93.6K

49.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$6.26 KES 809

$35.60 MX$624

-82.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.57 KES 3,045

$40.33 MX$707

-41.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.87 KES 3,472

$78.8 MX$1,381

-65.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.47 KES 3,937

$88.9 MX$1,560

-65.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 KES 15.1K

$947 MX$16.6K

-87.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.6 KES 12.0K

$474 MX$8,314

-80.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 KES 24.7K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-88.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 KES 19.3K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-87.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,159 KES 149.8K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-71.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$123 KES 15.9K

$654 MX$11.5K

-81.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-3.68%

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

Last update for Kiambu: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $117 in Kiambu and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 431% 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: $19.00 in Kiambu vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $249 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 157% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 431% 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 $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Kiambu versus $197 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 $19.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $489 in Kiambu versus $1,256 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 157% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.