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 $689 per month in Mombasa vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,111 per month in Mombasa vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,534 per month in Mombasa vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mombasa is about 47% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mombasa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.30 KES 298

$11.71 MX$199

-80.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.05 KES 2,981

$46.59 MX$792

-50.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 KES 1,372

$11.65 MX$198

-8.93%

Cappuccino

$3.60 KES 466

$4.09 MX$69.6

-11.98%

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

$1.00 KES 130

$1.37 MX$23.35

-27.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 KES 54.7

$0.83 MX$14.17

-49.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 292

$3.35 MX$57.0

-32.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 KES 417

$6.91 MX$117

-53.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 121

$1.73 MX$29.35

-45.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.8

$2.26 MX$38.41

-78.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 KES 204

$1.77 MX$30.07

-10.73%

Eggs

$1.82 KES 235

$2.73 MX$46.43

-33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.94 KES 1,415

$9.18 MX$156

19.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 KES 704

$8.92 MX$152

-39.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.34 KES 691

$12.60 MX$214

-57.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 KES 271

$3.02 MX$51.3

-30.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 KES 148

$1.57 MX$26.69

-26.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KES 231

$2.13 MX$36.12

-15.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 KES 84.1

$2.26 MX$38.48

-71.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.7

$2.00 MX$34.05

-64.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 135

$2.06 MX$35.08

-49.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 KES 73.4

$1.18 MX$20.05

-51.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KES 59.3

$1.20 MX$20.46

-61.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 KES 583

$4.63 MX$78.8

-2.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 KES 984

$10.69 MX$182

-28.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 KES 258

$1.62 MX$27.52

23.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 KES 372

$2.88 MX$48.96

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 KES 98.0

$0.57 MX$9.74

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.00 KES 4,914

$29.83 MX$507

27.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 KES 389

$5.45 MX$92.6

-44.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 KES 221

$3.70 MX$63.0

-53.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 KES 587

$5.98 MX$102

-24.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.55 MX$26.40

0.65%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$22.3K MX$379.4K

-45.90%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$25.9K MX$441.0K

-54.63%

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

$55.1 KES 7,124

$89.1 MX$1,515

-38.19%

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

$13.42 KES 1,735

$25.04 MX$426

-46.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.92 KES 4,386

$31.50 MX$535

7.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.20 KES 2,354

$67.8 MX$1,152

-73.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,450

$28.92 MX$491

-34.47%

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 KES 1,422

$5.05 MX$85.8

117.82%

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

$225 MX$3,823

-61.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,514 KES 713.0K

$4,222 MX$71.8K

30.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,685

$47.44 MX$806

-72.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.50 KES 1,745

$44.98 MX$764

-69.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.12 KES 2,989

$82.0 MX$1,393

-71.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.53 KES 5,887

$92.1 MX$1,565

-50.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 KES 29.6K

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-78.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 19.9K

$405 MX$6,888

-62.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 KES 69.5K

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-72.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 KES 50.2K

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-70.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,396 KES 697.7K

$3,995 MX$67.9K

35.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,931 KES 508.3K

$6,626 MX$112.6K

-40.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 KES 41.5K

$749 MX$12.7K

-57.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

13.54%

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

Last update for Mombasa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $229 in Mombasa versus $1,069 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 134% 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 $23.00 in Mombasa versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $277 – 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: $689 in Mombasa, $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 88% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,033 per month in Mombasa and $1,940 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 $23.00 in Mombasa and $47.00 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 $689 in Mombasa and $1,293 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 $689, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $689 in Mombasa to $1,293 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.