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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $630 per month in Kilifi vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,038 per month in Kilifi vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,446 per month in Kilifi vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kilifi is about 51% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kilifi and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Kilifi 54% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 KES 254

$11.71 MX$198

-83.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.48 KES 6,402

$46.59 MX$788

6.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.37 KES 307

$11.65 MX$197

-79.66%

Cappuccino

$1.96 KES 254

$4.09 MX$69.2

-52.08%

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

$0.81 KES 104

$1.37 MX$23.23

-40.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 KES 96.7

$0.83 MX$14.09

-9.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 KES 202

$3.35 MX$56.7

-53.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 KES 141

$1.73 MX$29.20

-36.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 KES 108

$2.26 MX$38.21

-63.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 KES 267

$1.77 MX$29.91

16.38%

Eggs

$1.93 KES 250

$2.73 MX$46.19

-29.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.95 KES 1,028

$12.60 MX$213

-36.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 KES 303

$3.02 MX$51.1

-22.52%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.2

$1.57 MX$26.55

-54.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 KES 223

$2.13 MX$35.93

-19.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 KES 61.7

$2.26 MX$38.28

-78.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 KES 104

$2.00 MX$33.88

-60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$2.06 MX$34.90

-62.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.05

$1.20 MX$20.35

-80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

Wine (Bottle)

$12.50 KES 1,617

$10.69 MX$181

16.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 KES 223

$1.62 MX$27.38

6.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KES 101

$0.57 MX$9.69

36.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.93 KES 3,485

$29.83 MX$504

-9.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 KES 178

$1.55 MX$26.26

-10.97%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

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

$15.34 KES 1,985

$89.1 MX$1,507

-82.79%

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

$10.23 KES 1,323

$25.04 MX$423

-59.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.09 KES 3,246

$31.50 MX$532

-20.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.14 KES 3,641

$67.8 MX$1,146

-58.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 KES 971

$5.05 MX$85.4

48.71%

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

$161 KES 20.8K

$225 MX$3,803

-28.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,960 KES 641.7K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

17.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.61 KES 1,243

$47.44 MX$802

-79.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.06 KES 1,172

$44.98 MX$760

-79.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.33 KES 1,983

$82.0 MX$1,386

-81.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.41 KES 2,252

$92.1 MX$1,557

-81.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$328 KES 42.5K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-69.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 KES 39.8K

$405 MX$6,852

-24.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$273 KES 35.4K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-85.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 KES 72.9K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-56.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$228 KES 29.4K

$749 MX$12.7K

-69.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-30.13%

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

Last update for Kilifi: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $328 in Kilifi versus $1,069 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 229% 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 $49.00 in Kilifi versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $125 in Kilifi vs $277 in Playa del Carmen – so Kilifi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $630 in Kilifi, $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 105% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $944 per month in Kilifi and $1,940 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 Kilifi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $161 per month in Kilifi and $225 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 122% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kilifi, where all-in costs run around $630, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Kilifi 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 $630 in Kilifi to $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Kilifi. 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.