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: $506 in Molo versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $861 in Molo versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,216 in Molo versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Molo costs roughly 61% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Molo 62% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 KES 690

$11.94 MX$209

-55.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.63 KES 4,987

$42.75 MX$748

-9.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.88 KES 888

$10.59 MX$185

-35.03%

Cappuccino

$2.37 KES 305

$3.62 MX$63.4

-34.53%

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

$0.72 KES 92.8

$1.47 MX$25.69

-51.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.8

$0.94 MX$16.51

-46.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 KES 307

$3.09 MX$54.1

-22.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 KES 367

$4.46 MX$78.0

-36.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 111

$1.43 MX$24.94

-39.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 73.4

$1.88 MX$32.97

-69.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.63 MX$28.50

-3.68%

Eggs

$1.65 KES 212

$2.64 MX$46.26

-37.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 KES 1,473

$8.21 MX$144

38.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 KES 880

$8.29 MX$145

-17.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.53 KES 714

$11.10 MX$194

-50.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 KES 393

$2.65 MX$46.40

14.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 134

$1.50 MX$26.26

-30.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 KES 281

$1.99 MX$34.79

9.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$2.08 MX$36.33

-49.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 KES 132

$1.79 MX$31.29

-43.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 KES 152

$2.18 MX$38.09

-46.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 KES 88.2

$1.08 MX$18.84

-37.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 KES 106

$1.04 MX$18.15

-21.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 KES 408

$3.97 MX$69.5

-20.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.54 KES 1,489

$10.20 MX$179

13.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 KES 293

$1.73 MX$30.22

31.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 KES 359

$2.50 MX$43.71

11.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 198

$3.14 MX$55.0

-51.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 KES 203

$2.40 MX$42.04

-34.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 KES 381

$3.09 MX$54.0

-4.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.27 MX$22.28

20.47%

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

$21.6K KES 2.8M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-29.92%

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

$19.7K KES 2.5M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-15.30%

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

$33.79 KES 4,361

$82.0 MX$1,435

-58.80%

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

$17.03 KES 2,198

$22.45 MX$393

-24.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.64 KES 4,987

$29.66 MX$519

30.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$6.21 KES 801

$4.97 MX$87.0

24.95%

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

$202 KES 26.1K

$198 MX$3,462

2.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,979 KES 1.0M

$5,273 MX$92.3K

51.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.34 KES 2,368

$36.34 MX$636

-49.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.57 KES 3,042

$40.05 MX$701

-41.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 KES 8,529

$79.9 MX$1,398

-17.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 KES 7,288

$88.9 MX$1,555

-36.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$388 KES 50.1K

$720 MX$12.6K

-46.13%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 86% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $251 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 154% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 86% 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 $506 per month in Molo versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 154% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $506 in Molo versus $1,287 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 154% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.