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: $509 in Molo versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $843 in Molo versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,176 in Molo versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Molo costs roughly 60% 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

$5.51 KES 713

$11.72 MX$203

-52.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.20 KES 5,067

$41.89 MX$725

-6.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.87 KES 888

$10.51 MX$182

-34.63%

Cappuccino

$2.45 KES 316

$3.59 MX$62.0

-31.75%

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

$0.72 KES 92.7

$1.51 MX$26.10

-52.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 KES 69.5

$0.92 MX$15.83

-41.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 KES 294

$2.96 MX$51.2

-23.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 KES 370

$4.41 MX$76.3

-34.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 KES 119

$1.40 MX$24.16

-34.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 73.8

$1.88 MX$32.60

-69.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.56 MX$26.97

1.92%

Eggs

$1.68 KES 217

$2.61 MX$45.14

-35.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.53 KES 1,490

$8.32 MX$144

38.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 KES 885

$8.35 MX$145

-17.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.46 KES 706

$10.86 MX$188

-49.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 KES 406

$2.71 MX$46.93

15.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.51 MX$26.04

-29.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 KES 276

$1.87 MX$32.41

14.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$2.19 MX$37.89

-51.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 KES 133

$1.86 MX$32.14

-44.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 KES 145

$2.23 MX$38.59

-49.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 83.4

$1.07 MX$18.48

-39.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 KES 105

$1.09 MX$18.79

-25.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 KES 393

$4.19 MX$72.4

-27.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 KES 1,514

$10.43 MX$180

12.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 KES 287

$1.66 MX$28.68

33.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 KES 346

$2.61 MX$45.19

2.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 KES 194

$3.08 MX$53.3

-51.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 195

$2.40 MX$41.61

-37.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 KES 366

$3.13 MX$54.1

-9.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.31 MX$22.69

21.37%

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

$21.7K KES 2.8M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-27.24%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

-13.39%

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

$34.40 KES 4,447

$81.3 MX$1,406

-57.68%

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

$17.11 KES 2,211

$22.56 MX$390

-24.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.29 KES 5,078

$30.05 MX$520

30.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 KES 812

$4.92 MX$85.1

27.64%

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

$202 KES 26.1K

$201 MX$3,474

0.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,932 KES 1.0M

$5,175 MX$89.5K

53.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.28 KES 2,363

$35.92 MX$622

-49.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.43 KES 3,157

$40.13 MX$694

-39.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 KES 8,560

$79.7 MX$1,379

-16.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.0 KES 7,361

$86.5 MX$1,496

-34.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$390 KES 50.4K

$677 MX$11.7K

-42.35%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 73% 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: $39.00 in Molo vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $252 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 148% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 73% 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.

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 $509 per month in Molo versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 148% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $509 in Molo versus $1,260 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 148% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.