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

🙂 Solo nomad: Nairobi is 34.1% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 37.7% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Nairobi is 13.4% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 41% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nairobi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.39 KES 696
$11.99 MX$227
-55.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.5 KES 4,976
$42.47 MX$803
-9.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.88 KES 889
$10.47 MX$198
-34.29%
Cappuccino
$2.48 KES 320
$3.6 MX$68.2
-31.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 KES 96.3
$1.44 MX$27.16
-48.61%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.5 KES 65
$0.89 MX$16.79
-43.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.38 KES 308
$3.09 MX$58.5
-22.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 KES 377
$4.58 MX$86.6
-36.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nairobi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.88 KES 114
$1.38 MX$26.04
-36.23%
White Bread (500g)
$0.53 KES 68.1
$1.85 MX$34.9
-71.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.65 KES 214
$1.57 MX$29.68
5.10%
Eggs
$1.67 KES 216
$2.55 MX$48.3
-34.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.8 KES 1,525
$8.61 MX$163
37.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.79 KES 878
$8.54 MX$161
-20.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.54 KES 715
$10.98 MX$208
-49.54%
Apples (1kg)
$3.16 KES 409
$2.72 MX$51.4
16.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.08 KES 140
$1.51 MX$28.57
-28.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.14 KES 276
$1.88 MX$35.63
13.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.01 KES 131
$2.19 MX$41.42
-53.88%
Potato (1kg)
$1.02 KES 132
$1.87 MX$35.3
-45.45%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 KES 151
$2.19 MX$41.37
-46.58%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.65 KES 84.3
$1.07 MX$20.23
-39.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.75 KES 96.5
$1.09 MX$20.64
-31.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.13 KES 404
$3.96 MX$74.9
-20.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.69 KES 1,510
$8.86 MX$167
31.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.18 KES 281
$1.72 MX$32.53
26.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 KES 359
$2.61 MX$49.37
6.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Nairobi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.79 KES 103
$0.52 MX$9.74
51.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.91 KES 3,995
$26.59 MX$503
16.25%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.52 KES 197
$3.24 MX$61.2
-53.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.56 KES 201
$2.38 MX$44.94
-34.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.87 KES 372
$3.11 MX$58.7
-7.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.59 KES 206
$1.31 MX$24.85
21.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K KES 2.8M
$30.3K MX$573K
-29.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.2K KES 2.6M
$24K MX$453.6K
-15.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nairobi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$34.87 KES 4,507
$84.2 MX$1,592
-58.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.84 KES 2,176
$22.14 MX$419
-23.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.05 KES 5,046
$30.14 MX$570
29.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nairobi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.91 KES 5,546
$52 MX$983
-17.45%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.93 KES 2,576
$18.72 MX$354
6.46%
Cinema Ticket
$6.29 KES 813
$5.07 MX$95.9
24.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nairobi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 KES 26.7K
$200 MX$3,787
3.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,963 KES 1M
$5,333 MX$100.8K
49.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nairobi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.49 KES 2,390
$35.74 MX$676
-48.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.58 KES 3,047
$39.8 MX$753
-40.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$64.1 KES 8,289
$79 MX$1,493
-18.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$56 KES 7,233
$88.4 MX$1,671
-36.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nairobi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$439 KES 56.8K
$965 MX$18.3K
-54.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$188 KES 24.4K
$474 MX$8,968
-60.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,125 KES 145.4K
$1,653 MX$31.2K
-31.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$430 KES 55.5K
$1,202 MX$22.7K
-64.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,867 KES 241.3K
$3,081 MX$58.3K
-39.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,085 KES 140.3K
$7,529 MX$142.3K
-85.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nairobi
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$413 KES 53.3K
$792 MX$15K
-47.87%
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 Nairobi: October 28, 2025

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 28, 2025

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