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: $486 in Kiambu versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $750 in Kiambu versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,014 in Kiambu versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Kiambu costs roughly 62% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kiambu 64% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.16 KES 410

$11.73 MX$203

-73.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.55 KES 2,533

$41.62 MX$720

-53.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.55 KES 589

$10.64 MX$184

-57.24%

Cappuccino

$1.91 KES 247

$3.52 MX$60.9

-45.74%

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

$0.54 KES 70.2

$1.51 MX$26.12

-64.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KES 43.48

$0.97 MX$16.84

-64.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 KES 228

$2.95 MX$51.0

-40.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 KES 293

$4.45 MX$77.0

-49.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.68 KES 88.3

$1.38 MX$23.93

-50.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 68.1

$1.89 MX$32.72

-71.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 KES 216

$1.64 MX$28.32

1.22%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$2.51 MX$43.34

-45.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.74 KES 1,522

$8.34 MX$144

40.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 KES 848

$8.34 MX$144

-21.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.15 KES 537

$10.73 MX$186

-61.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 KES 394

$2.60 MX$45.04

16.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

$1.46 MX$25.20

-25.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 KES 102

$1.90 MX$32.87

-58.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 KES 72.7

$2.08 MX$35.91

-73.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 KES 70.7

$1.78 MX$30.71

-69.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 KES 98.5

$2.19 MX$37.80

-65.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 KES 41.56

$1.04 MX$17.99

-69.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 KES 52.0

$1.08 MX$18.62

-62.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 KES 390

$4.08 MX$70.6

-26.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.43 KES 1,481

$10.32 MX$178

10.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 KES 284

$1.71 MX$29.61

28.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 KES 362

$2.58 MX$44.54

8.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 KES 72.1

$0.51 MX$8.81

9.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 207

$3.26 MX$56.4

-51.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 KES 48.56

$2.49 MX$43.09

-85.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 KES 369

$3.25 MX$56.2

-12.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.31 MX$22.61

16.79%

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-27.68%

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

$19.7K KES 2.6M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-15.79%

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

$28.59 KES 3,704

$82.9 MX$1,433

-65.50%

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

$7.60 KES 984

$22.22 MX$384

-65.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.32 KES 3,799

$29.34 MX$507

-0.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.59 KES 1,502

$51.6 MX$893

-77.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.64 KES 731

$5.07 MX$87.6

11.24%

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

$204 KES 26.5K

$201 MX$3,473

1.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,097 KES 1.0M

$5,212 MX$90.1K

55.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$6.24 KES 808

$36.92 MX$639

-83.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.84 KES 3,088

$39.79 MX$688

-40.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$27.40 KES 3,550

$78.5 MX$1,357

-65.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.38 KES 3,936

$87.1 MX$1,506

-65.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.9K

$973 MX$16.8K

-88.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.7 KES 12.0K

$468 MX$8,090

-80.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 KES 24.8K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-88.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 KES 18.9K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-88.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,137 KES 147.2K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-71.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$122 KES 15.8K

$664 MX$11.5K

-81.59%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $115 in Kiambu and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 443% 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: $20.00 in Kiambu vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 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 167% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 443% less. 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: $115 in Kiambu versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $204 in Kiambu versus $201 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 $20.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $486 in Kiambu versus $1,297 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 167% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.