Cost of Living Comparison Between Ongata Rongai and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ongata Rongai and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $570 in Ongata Rongai versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $864 in Ongata Rongai versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,158 in Ongata Rongai versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ongata Rongai costs roughly 55% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ongata Rongai 58% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.54 KES 587

$11.60 MX$199

-60.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.19 KES 2,483

$47.11 MX$809

-59.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.00 KES 777

$11.88 MX$204

-49.49%

Cappuccino

$1.88 KES 243

$3.98 MX$68.2

-52.76%

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

$0.32 KES 41.82

$1.43 MX$24.49

-77.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 KES 52.7

$0.82 MX$14.16

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 293

$3.19 MX$54.7

-29.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 KES 346

$6.79 MX$117

-60.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.53 KES 68.9

$1.68 MX$28.76

-68.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KES 64.3

$2.20 MX$37.71

-77.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 KES 166

$1.71 MX$29.32

-25.15%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$2.74 MX$47.05

-50.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.12 KES 533

$9.58 MX$164

-56.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 KES 439

$9.01 MX$155

-62.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.52 KES 456

$12.81 MX$220

-72.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 KES 165

$2.89 MX$49.58

-56.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 KES 133

$1.50 MX$25.70

-31.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$2.15 MX$36.87

-46.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 83.4

$2.26 MX$38.79

-71.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.9

$1.98 MX$34.00

-63.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 KES 57.2

$1.99 MX$34.15

-77.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.4

$1.23 MX$21.18

-43.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 KES 56.7

$1.20 MX$20.54

-63.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 KES 302

$4.55 MX$78.1

-48.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.30 KES 1,204

$10.37 MX$178

-10.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 KES 300

$1.62 MX$27.79

43.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 KES 357

$2.88 MX$49.44

-4.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 205

$5.39 MX$92.5

-70.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 205

$3.73 MX$64.0

-57.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 370

$5.77 MX$99.0

-50.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 KES 205

$1.54 MX$26.37

3.25%

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

$22.5K MX$387.0K

-2.72%

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

$20.3K KES 2.6M

$26.1K MX$447.3K

-22.04%

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

$62.1 KES 8,038

$91.4 MX$1,569

-32.03%

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

$15.84 KES 2,050

$25.20 MX$433

-37.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.52 KES 4,726

$31.24 MX$536

16.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 KES 995

$4.86 MX$83.5

58.23%

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

$247 KES 32.0K

$224 MX$3,839

10.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K KES 1.5M

$4,229 MX$72.6K

173.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.63 KES 3,575

$47.10 MX$808

-41.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.32 KES 3,664

$44.29 MX$760

-36.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 KES 9,136

$80.1 MX$1,375

-11.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.9 KES 7,626

$92.7 MX$1,591

-36.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 KES 20.2K

$1,063 MX$18.2K

-85.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 KES 15.2K

$390 MX$6,698

-69.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 KES 29.8K

$2,149 MX$36.9K

-89.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 KES 29.9K

$1,272 MX$21.8K

-81.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

11.45

28.47%

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

Last update for Ongata Rongai: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $156 in Ongata Rongai and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Ongata Rongai vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $128 vs $276 per month, with Ongata Rongai cheaper across the board.

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

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

Ongata Rongai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 122% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $855 in Ongata Rongai and $1,899 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $156 in Ongata Rongai versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $247 in Ongata Rongai versus $224 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ongata Rongai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $570 in Ongata Rongai versus $1,266 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.

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.

Expats usually find Ongata Rongai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.