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: $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 Rongai 61% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.47 KES 707

$11.94 MX$208

-54.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.55 KES 2,527

$42.75 MX$744

-54.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.92 KES 894

$10.59 MX$184

-34.66%

Cappuccino

$1.96 KES 253

$3.62 MX$63.0

-45.86%

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

$0.30 KES 38.52

$1.47 MX$25.54

-79.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 KES 48.81

$0.94 MX$16.41

-59.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 KES 304

$3.09 MX$53.8

-23.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 KES 381

$4.46 MX$77.6

-33.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.50 KES 64.2

$1.43 MX$24.80

-65.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 KES 60.2

$1.88 MX$32.79

-75.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 KES 167

$1.63 MX$28.34

-20.86%

Eggs

$1.32 KES 171

$2.64 MX$45.99

-50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.38 KES 566

$8.21 MX$143

-46.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.38 KES 436

$8.29 MX$144

-59.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.53 KES 456

$11.10 MX$193

-68.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 KES 159

$2.65 MX$46.14

-53.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$1.50 MX$26.11

-30.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 KES 152

$1.99 MX$34.59

-41.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.3

$2.08 MX$36.13

-69.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.79 MX$31.11

-55.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 KES 62.1

$2.18 MX$37.87

-77.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.1

$1.08 MX$18.73

-36.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 61.6

$1.04 MX$18.04

-53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.31 KES 298

$3.97 MX$69.1

-41.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.32 KES 1,204

$10.20 MX$178

-8.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 KES 287

$1.73 MX$30.04

28.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 KES 350

$2.50 MX$43.46

8.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 204

$3.14 MX$54.7

-49.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 KES 175

$2.40 MX$41.80

-43.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 KES 382

$3.09 MX$53.7

-4.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 KES 204

$1.27 MX$22.16

24.41%

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

$21.3K KES 2.7M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-31.09%

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

$20.3K KES 2.6M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

-12.80%

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

$34.74 KES 4,490

$82.0 MX$1,427

-57.64%

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

$16.61 KES 2,147

$22.45 MX$391

-26.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.23 KES 5,069

$29.66 MX$516

32.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$6.11 KES 789

$4.97 MX$86.5

22.94%

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

$203 KES 26.2K

$198 MX$3,442

2.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,013 KES 1.0M

$5,273 MX$91.7K

51.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.27 KES 2,360

$36.34 MX$632

-49.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.24 KES 3,132

$40.05 MX$697

-39.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.5 KES 8,467

$79.9 MX$1,390

-17.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.4 KES 7,284

$88.9 MX$1,547

-36.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 19.9K

$963 MX$16.8K

-83.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 KES 15.0K

$465 MX$8,086

-75.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 KES 30.3K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-85.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 KES 30.4K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-80.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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 Ongata Rongai: April 27, 2026

Last update for 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.

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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 144% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 144% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.