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: $544 in Molo versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $882 in Molo versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,220 in Molo versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Molo costs roughly 57% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Molo 60% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 KES 589

$11.60 MX$199

-60.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.29 KES 4,566

$47.11 MX$809

-25.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.03 KES 781

$11.88 MX$204

-49.24%

Cappuccino

$2.75 KES 356

$3.98 MX$68.2

-30.90%

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

$0.58 KES 75.6

$1.43 MX$24.49

-59.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 KES 82.5

$0.82 MX$14.16

-21.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 KES 293

$3.19 MX$54.7

-28.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 KES 343

$6.79 MX$117

-60.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 122

$1.68 MX$28.76

-44.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 KES 74.4

$2.20 MX$37.71

-73.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 KES 241

$1.71 MX$29.32

8.77%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 220

$2.74 MX$47.05

-37.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.67 KES 1,380

$9.58 MX$164

11.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 KES 819

$9.01 MX$155

-29.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.11 KES 791

$12.81 MX$220

-52.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 KES 428

$2.89 MX$49.58

14.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.50 MX$25.70

-28.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 KES 267

$2.15 MX$36.87

-4.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 KES 146

$2.26 MX$38.79

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 KES 148

$1.98 MX$34.00

-42.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

$1.99 MX$34.15

-45.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 KES 87.3

$1.23 MX$21.18

-45.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 KES 95.8

$1.20 MX$20.54

-38.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 KES 445

$4.55 MX$78.1

-24.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.61 KES 1,503

$10.37 MX$178

11.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 KES 300

$1.62 MX$27.79

43.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 354

$2.88 MX$49.44

-4.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 197

$5.39 MX$92.5

-71.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 195

$3.73 MX$64.0

-59.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 KES 378

$5.77 MX$99.0

-49.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 KES 204

$1.54 MX$26.37

1.95%

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

$21.7K KES 2.8M

$22.5K MX$387.0K

-3.89%

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

$20.5K KES 2.7M

$26.1K MX$447.3K

-21.37%

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

$62.5 KES 8,082

$91.4 MX$1,569

-31.65%

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

$15.75 KES 2,038

$25.20 MX$433

-37.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.67 KES 4,616

$31.24 MX$536

14.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 KES 1,022

$4.86 MX$83.5

62.55%

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

$246 KES 31.8K

$224 MX$3,839

10.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K KES 1.5M

$4,229 MX$72.6K

170.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.81 KES 3,599

$47.10 MX$808

-40.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.43 KES 3,679

$44.29 MX$760

-35.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 KES 8,909

$80.1 MX$1,375

-14.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.0 KES 7,498

$92.7 MX$1,591

-37.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$386 KES 49.9K

$758 MX$13.0K

-49.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

11.45

28.47%

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

Last update for Molo: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 97% 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: $35.00 in Molo vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $276 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 133% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 97% 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 34% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $544 per month in Molo versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 133% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $544 in Molo versus $1,266 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 133% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.