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 $604 per month in Mombasa vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,064 per month in Mombasa vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,525 per month in Mombasa vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mombasa is about 53% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mombasa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 55% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.37 KES 308

$11.73 MX$203

-79.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.29 KES 2,498

$41.62 MX$720

-53.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 KES 1,106

$10.64 MX$184

-19.83%

Cappuccino

$3.25 KES 421

$3.52 MX$60.9

-7.67%

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

$0.51 KES 66.3

$1.51 MX$26.12

-66.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 KES 61.2

$0.97 MX$16.84

-51.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 KES 246

$2.95 MX$51.0

-35.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 KES 380

$4.45 MX$77.0

-34.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 KES 104

$1.38 MX$23.93

-41.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 69.3

$1.89 MX$32.72

-71.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 KES 187

$1.64 MX$28.32

-12.20%

Eggs

$1.73 KES 223

$2.51 MX$43.34

-31.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 KES 1,291

$8.34 MX$144

19.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 KES 754

$8.34 MX$144

-30.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 KES 679

$10.73 MX$186

-51.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 KES 234

$2.60 MX$45.04

-30.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 KES 121

$1.46 MX$25.20

-36.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.90 MX$32.87

-17.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 KES 98.2

$2.08 MX$35.91

-63.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 KES 92.4

$1.78 MX$30.71

-60.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$2.19 MX$37.80

-52.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 KES 86.9

$1.04 MX$17.99

-35.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 KES 74.0

$1.08 MX$18.62

-47.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 KES 430

$4.08 MX$70.6

-18.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 KES 1,023

$10.32 MX$178

-23.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 KES 252

$1.71 MX$29.61

13.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 KES 354

$2.58 MX$44.54

5.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 KES 103

$0.51 MX$8.81

54.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.09 KES 4,546

$26.46 MX$458

32.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 KES 391

$3.26 MX$56.4

-7.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 KES 252

$2.49 MX$43.09

-21.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 KES 597

$3.25 MX$56.2

41.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 208

$1.31 MX$22.61

22.14%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-60.09%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-49.70%

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

$44.87 KES 5,813

$82.9 MX$1,433

-45.85%

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

$14.07 KES 1,822

$22.22 MX$384

-36.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.11 KES 5,715

$29.34 MX$507

50.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.18 KES 2,356

$51.6 MX$893

-64.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,455

$18.32 MX$317

3.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 KES 589

$5.07 MX$87.6

-10.26%

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

$87.3 KES 11.3K

$201 MX$3,473

-56.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,325 KES 689.9K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

2.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.39 KES 1,734

$36.92 MX$639

-63.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.83 KES 1,792

$39.79 MX$688

-65.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.61 KES 3,059

$78.5 MX$1,357

-69.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.29 KES 6,126

$87.1 MX$1,506

-45.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 KES 23.0K

$973 MX$16.8K

-81.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.9K

$468 MX$8,090

-75.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 KES 78.4K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-63.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 KES 60.2K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-61.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,402 KES 699.9K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

36.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,839 KES 497.3K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-40.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$318 KES 41.2K

$664 MX$11.5K

-52.15%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $178 in Mombasa versus $973 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 109% 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: $170 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: $604 in Mombasa, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 115% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $907 per month in Mombasa and $1,945 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 $604 in Mombasa and $1,297 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 $604, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $604 in Mombasa to $1,297 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.