🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $528 in Ongata Rongai versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $837 in Ongata Rongai versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,145 in Ongata Rongai versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Living in Ongata Rongai costs roughly 59% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Ongata Rongai61% lower, Playa del Carmen4% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Ongata Rongai
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.47KES 707
$11.94MX$208
-54.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.55KES 2,527
$42.75MX$744
-54.27%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.92KES 894
$10.59MX$184
-34.66%
Cappuccino
$1.96KES 253
$3.62MX$63.0
-45.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30KES 38.52
$1.47MX$25.54
-79.59%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.38KES 48.81
$0.94MX$16.41
-59.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.36KES 304
$3.09MX$53.8
-23.62%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95KES 381
$4.46MX$77.6
-33.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ongata Rongai
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$0.50KES 64.2
$1.43MX$24.80
-65.03%
White Bread(500g)
$0.47KES 60.2
$1.88MX$32.79
-75.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.29KES 167
$1.63MX$28.34
-20.86%
Eggs
$1.32KES 171
$2.64MX$45.99
-50.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.38KES 566
$8.21MX$143
-46.65%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.38KES 436
$8.29MX$144
-59.23%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$3.53KES 456
$11.10MX$193
-68.20%
Apples(1kg)
$1.23KES 159
$2.65MX$46.14
-53.58%
Banana(1kg)
$1.04KES 135
$1.50MX$26.11
-30.67%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.17KES 152
$1.99MX$34.59
-41.21%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.64KES 82.3
$2.08MX$36.13
-69.23%
Potato(1kg)
$0.79KES 102
$1.79MX$31.11
-55.87%
Onion(1kg)
$0.48KES 62.1
$2.18MX$37.87
-77.98%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.69KES 89.1
$1.08MX$18.73
-36.11%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48KES 61.6
$1.04MX$18.04
-53.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.31KES 298
$3.97MX$69.1
-41.81%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.32KES 1,204
$10.20MX$178
-8.63%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.22KES 287
$1.73MX$30.04
28.32%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71KES 350
$2.50MX$43.46
8.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Ongata Rongai
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.52MX$9.02
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$26.97MX$469
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.58KES 204
$3.14MX$54.7
-49.68%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.35KES 175
$2.40MX$41.80
-43.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.96KES 382
$3.09MX$53.7
-4.21%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.58KES 204
$1.27MX$22.16
24.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.3KKES 2.7M
$30.9KMX$537.3K
-31.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.3KKES 2.6M
$23.3KMX$405.7K
-12.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ongata Rongai
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$34.74KES 4,490
$82.0MX$1,427
-57.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.61KES 2,147
$22.45MX$391
-26.01%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.23KES 5,069
$29.66MX$516
32.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ongata Rongai
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$51.9MX$903
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.67MX$325
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.11KES 789
$4.97MX$86.5
22.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ongata Rongai
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$203KES 26.2K
$198MX$3,442
2.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,013KES 1.0M
$5,273MX$91.7K
51.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ongata Rongai
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.27KES 2,360
$36.34MX$632
-49.72%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.24KES 3,132
$40.05MX$697
-39.48%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$65.5KES 8,467
$79.9MX$1,390
-17.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$56.4KES 7,284
$88.9MX$1,547
-36.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ongata Rongai
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$154KES 19.9K
$963MX$16.8K
-83.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$116KES 15.0K
$465MX$8,086
-75.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$235KES 30.3K
$1,596MX$27.8K
-85.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$235KES 30.4K
$1,209MX$21.0K
-80.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,942MX$68.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$6,448MX$112.2K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ongata Rongai
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$720MX$12.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
14.84
11.42
29.95%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Ongata Rongai: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $154 in Ongata Rongai and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $20.00 in Ongata Rongai vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $128 vs $251 per month, with Ongata Rongai cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Ongata Rongai vs Playa del Carmen: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Ongata Rongai?
Ongata Rongai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 144% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $792 in Ongata Rongai and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Ongata Rongai and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $154 in Ongata Rongai versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $203 in Ongata Rongai versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Ongata Rongai or Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Ongata Rongai – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Ongata Rongai or Playa del Carmen?
At $528 in Ongata Rongai versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ongata Rongai but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ongata Rongai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Ongata Rongai or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
For families, Ongata Rongai 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Ongata Rongai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 144% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Ongata Rongai vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado