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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $618 per month in Mombasa vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,060 per month in Mombasa vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,502 per month in Mombasa vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mombasa is about 51% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mombasa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 54% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.35 KES 304

$11.99 MX$210

-80.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 KES 2,478

$41.78 MX$731

-54.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 KES 1,137

$10.75 MX$188

-18.14%

Cappuccino

$3.18 KES 411

$3.50 MX$61.1

-9.14%

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

$0.48 KES 62.4

$1.45 MX$25.33

-66.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 61.7

$0.88 MX$15.47

-45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 KES 253

$2.95 MX$51.6

-33.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 364

$4.51 MX$78.9

-37.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 KES 106

$1.43 MX$25.04

-42.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.9

$1.84 MX$32.13

-73.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 KES 180

$1.57 MX$27.42

-10.83%

Eggs

$1.79 KES 231

$2.51 MX$43.92

-28.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 KES 1,255

$8.28 MX$145

17.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 KES 752

$8.43 MX$147

-30.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 KES 675

$10.68 MX$187

-51.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 KES 231

$2.61 MX$45.62

-31.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 KES 117

$1.44 MX$25.15

-36.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 KES 197

$1.96 MX$34.31

-22.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$2.09 MX$36.62

-62.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 87.5

$1.85 MX$32.37

-63.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 KES 139

$2.17 MX$37.90

-50.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 85.4

$1.03 MX$18.04

-35.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 KES 78.0

$1.07 MX$18.78

-43.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 KES 427

$4.10 MX$71.7

-19.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 KES 1,027

$10.17 MX$178

-21.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 KES 242

$1.68 MX$29.29

11.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 358

$2.53 MX$44.17

9.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 96.4

$0.51 MX$8.90

47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.08 KES 4,532

$26.04 MX$455

34.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 KES 394

$3.23 MX$56.5

-5.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 KES 251

$2.41 MX$42.06

-19.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 KES 592

$3.23 MX$56.5

41.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 206

$1.32 MX$23.10

21.21%

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

$12.0K KES 1.5M

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-59.63%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$23.7K MX$413.7K

-50.15%

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

$44.61 KES 5,764

$82.0 MX$1,434

-45.60%

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

$14.45 KES 1,867

$22.95 MX$401

-37.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.55 KES 5,626

$30.11 MX$527

44.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.09 KES 2,337

$52.0 MX$909

-65.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 KES 2,480

$18.53 MX$324

3.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 KES 609

$4.98 MX$87.0

-5.42%

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

$197 MX$3,452

-55.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,406 KES 698.5K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

1.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,684

$35.60 MX$622

-63.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.80 KES 1,784

$40.33 MX$705

-65.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.61 KES 3,050

$78.8 MX$1,377

-70.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.93 KES 5,934

$88.9 MX$1,555

-48.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 KES 23.4K

$947 MX$16.6K

-80.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.3K

$474 MX$8,288

-75.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 KES 76.3K

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-64.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 KES 59.7K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-61.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,440 KES 702.8K

$4,056 MX$70.9K

34.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,820 KES 493.6K

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-40.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 KES 41.5K

$654 MX$11.4K

-50.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.84%

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

Last update for Mombasa: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $181 in Mombasa versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 104% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Mombasa versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $169 vs $249 – making Mombasa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $618 in Mombasa, $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 103% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $928 per month in Mombasa and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mombasa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Mombasa and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $618 in Mombasa and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mombasa, where all-in costs run around $618, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Mombasa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $618 in Mombasa to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Mombasa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.