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: $543 in Ongata Rongai versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $846 in Ongata Rongai versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,149 in Ongata Rongai versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ongata Rongai costs roughly 57% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ongata Rongai 59% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.37 KES 695

$11.72 MX$204

-54.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.50 KES 2,520

$41.89 MX$731

-53.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 KES 900

$10.51 MX$183

-33.78%

Cappuccino

$1.95 KES 251

$3.59 MX$62.5

-45.68%

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

$0.30 KES 38.22

$1.51 MX$26.31

-80.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 KES 52.7

$0.92 MX$15.96

-55.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 KES 296

$2.96 MX$51.6

-22.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 KES 386

$4.41 MX$76.9

-32.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.53 KES 68.8

$1.40 MX$24.35

-62.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.4

$1.88 MX$32.87

-73.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 KES 173

$1.56 MX$27.19

-14.10%

Eggs

$1.39 KES 179

$2.61 MX$45.50

-46.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.18 KES 541

$8.32 MX$145

-49.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 KES 454

$8.35 MX$146

-57.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.47 KES 448

$10.86 MX$189

-68.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 KES 156

$2.71 MX$47.31

-55.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

$1.51 MX$26.25

-27.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 KES 148

$1.87 MX$32.67

-39.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.4

$2.19 MX$38.19

-70.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 KES 96.3

$1.86 MX$32.40

-59.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 KES 60.9

$2.23 MX$38.90

-78.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 KES 88.2

$1.07 MX$18.63

-36.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 61.8

$1.09 MX$18.94

-55.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.29 KES 296

$4.19 MX$73.0

-45.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 KES 1,229

$10.43 MX$182

-8.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 KES 296

$1.66 MX$28.91

37.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 KES 359

$2.61 MX$45.56

6.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KES 203

$3.08 MX$53.7

-49.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 KES 175

$2.40 MX$41.94

-43.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 KES 368

$3.13 MX$54.5

-9.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 KES 197

$1.31 MX$22.87

16.79%

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

$21.6K KES 2.8M

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-27.52%

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

$20.4K KES 2.6M

$23.3K MX$406.8K

-12.42%

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

$34.68 KES 4,482

$81.3 MX$1,418

-57.33%

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

$16.82 KES 2,174

$22.56 MX$393

-25.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.13 KES 5,057

$30.05 MX$524

30.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 KES 788

$4.92 MX$85.8

23.98%

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

$201 KES 25.9K

$201 MX$3,502

-0.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,993 KES 1.0M

$5,175 MX$90.2K

54.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.51 KES 2,392

$35.92 MX$627

-48.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.77 KES 3,073

$40.13 MX$700

-40.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.7 KES 8,614

$79.7 MX$1,390

-16.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.4 KES 7,416

$86.5 MX$1,508

-33.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$152 KES 19.7K

$978 MX$17.1K

-84.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.9K

$470 MX$8,206

-75.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$228 KES 29.4K

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-86.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 KES 30.3K

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-80.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $152 in Ongata Rongai and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Ongata Rongai vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $130 vs $252 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 132% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $815 in Ongata Rongai and $1,890 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: $152 in Ongata Rongai versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Ongata Rongai versus $201 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $543 in Ongata Rongai versus $1,260 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 132% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.