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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $516 in Molo versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $847 in Molo versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,178 in Molo versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Molo costs roughly 59% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Molo 62% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.37 KES 696

$11.87 MX$204

-54.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.20 KES 4,953

$42.90 MX$736

-10.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.68 KES 866

$10.65 MX$183

-37.28%

Cappuccino

$2.43 KES 316

$3.45 MX$59.2

-29.57%

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

$0.72 KES 93.3

$1.50 MX$25.81

-52.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.7

$0.95 MX$16.28

-47.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 KES 310

$3.03 MX$51.9

-21.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 KES 371

$4.61 MX$79.1

-37.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 122

$1.38 MX$23.61

-31.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 68.5

$1.85 MX$31.70

-71.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 KES 213

$1.61 MX$27.65

1.86%

Eggs

$1.68 KES 218

$2.59 MX$44.51

-35.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.60 KES 1,504

$8.26 MX$142

40.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.68 KES 866

$8.37 MX$144

-20.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.77 KES 749

$10.66 MX$183

-45.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 KES 397

$2.63 MX$45.12

16.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$1.49 MX$25.53

-29.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 KES 273

$1.92 MX$32.94

9.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 KES 132

$2.09 MX$35.81

-51.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$1.86 MX$31.88

-41.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$2.26 MX$38.81

-50.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 83.0

$1.06 MX$18.23

-39.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 KES 96.9

$1.09 MX$18.67

-31.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 KES 392

$4.15 MX$71.2

-27.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.46 KES 1,486

$10.39 MX$178

10.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 KES 283

$1.72 MX$29.59

26.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 KES 356

$2.61 MX$44.85

5.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 205

$3.13 MX$53.7

-49.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 204

$2.51 MX$43.09

-37.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 KES 378

$3.15 MX$54.1

-7.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 203

$1.27 MX$21.88

22.83%

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

$21.3K KES 2.8M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-29.83%

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

$19.7K KES 2.6M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-16.34%

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

$34.50 KES 4,474

$83.0 MX$1,425

-58.43%

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

$16.63 KES 2,156

$22.71 MX$390

-26.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.70 KES 5,018

$29.46 MX$506

31.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 KES 826

$4.93 MX$84.5

29.21%

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

$206 KES 26.8K

$197 MX$3,386

4.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,045 KES 1.0M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

52.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.33 KES 2,376

$36.90 MX$633

-50.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.45 KES 3,170

$39.89 MX$685

-38.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 KES 8,625

$80.0 MX$1,373

-16.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 KES 7,205

$89.5 MX$1,536

-37.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$388 KES 50.3K

$667 MX$11.4K

-41.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

11.42

29.95%

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

Last update for Molo: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 72% 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: $38.00 in Molo vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $250 per month, with Molo 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

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

Molo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 146% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 72% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $516 per month in Molo versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 146% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $516 in Molo versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Molo but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Molo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Molo 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 Molo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 146% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.