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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $309 in Kisii versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $442 in Kisii versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $576 in Kisii versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Kisii costs roughly 76% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kisii 78% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.67 KES 345

$11.96 MX$202

-77.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$800

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$198

Cappuccino

$1.40 KES 181

$4.12 MX$69.6

-66.02%

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

$0.82 KES 105

$1.40 MX$23.63

-41.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 KES 28.43

$0.91 MX$15.40

-75.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 KES 236

$3.21 MX$54.1

-42.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 KES 302

$7.07 MX$119

-66.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$1.68 MX$28.31

-47.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 KES 62.1

$2.15 MX$36.31

-77.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 KES 302

$1.77 MX$29.96

32.20%

Eggs

$1.83 KES 236

$2.82 MX$47.54

-35.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$155

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$156

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.56 KES 590

$12.64 MX$213

-63.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$49.83

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.66

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.53

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$39.90

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.65

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.42

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$20.94

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.46

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$77.7

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 KES 253

$1.69 MX$28.56

15.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$46.84

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 KES 52.8

$0.60 MX$10.17

-31.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.66 KES 2,026

$29.70 MX$502

-47.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 KES 96.4

$5.24 MX$88.4

-85.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 KES 201

$1.54 MX$25.97

0.65%

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

$22.8K MX$385.0K

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

$11.4K KES 1.5M

$25.8K MX$435.8K

-55.91%

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

$90.7 MX$1,531

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

$16.47 KES 2,131

$25.19 MX$425

-34.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.35 KES 6,383

$31.75 MX$536

55.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,162

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$496

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.1

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

$38.45 KES 4,973

$226 MX$3,811

-82.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$70.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.39 KES 1,473

$47.38 MX$800

-75.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$734

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.25 KES 5,076

$80.2 MX$1,355

-51.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.78 KES 3,981

$91.4 MX$1,543

-66.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.2 KES 10.1K

$409 MX$6,900

-80.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 KES 20.3K

$1,281 MX$21.6K

-87.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Kisii: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

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

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

Kisii wins on cost – living expenses run 322% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kisii the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $464 in Kisii and $1,958 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 417% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $309 per month in Kisii versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 322% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $309 in Kisii versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kisii but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Kisii the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kisii delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $309 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kisii hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Kisii gentler on the wallet – expenses run 322% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.