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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $539 in Eldoret.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $940 in Eldoret.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,340 in Eldoret.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 139% more expensive than Eldoret, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Eldoret 60% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Eldoret
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94 MX$209
$5.54 KES 715
115.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$748
$38.10 KES 4,917
12.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 MX$185
$6.95 KES 898
52.37%
Cappuccino
$3.62 MX$63.4
$2.44 KES 315
48.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.69
$0.74 KES 95.7
98.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 MX$16.51
$0.54 KES 69.5
74.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 MX$54.1
$2.27 KES 293
36.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46 MX$78.0
$2.85 KES 368
56.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Eldoret
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.94
$0.70 KES 90.4
104.29%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.97
$0.48 KES 61.8
291.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 MX$28.50
$1.24 KES 160
31.45%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$46.26
$1.64 KES 212
60.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.21 MX$144
$3.97 KES 512
106.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.29 MX$145
$3.64 KES 470
127.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.10 MX$194
$4.17 KES 538
166.19%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 MX$46.40
$3.15 KES 407
-15.87%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$26.26
$0.89 KES 114
68.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.79
$1.64 KES 211
21.34%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$36.33
$1.04 KES 135
100.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$31.29
$0.56 KES 72.4
219.64%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 MX$38.09
$0.89 KES 115
144.94%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.84
$0.65 KES 84.2
66.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 MX$18.15
$0.64 KES 82.3
62.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97 MX$69.5
$3.17 KES 409
25.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.20 MX$179
$5.94 KES 766
71.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 MX$30.22
$1.69 KES 218
2.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 MX$43.71
$1.57 KES 203
59.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Eldoret
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.07
$1.37 KES 177
-62.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.97 MX$472
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$55.0
$1.58 KES 203
98.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$42.04
$1.52 KES 196
57.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 MX$54.0
$2.95 KES 381
4.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$22.28
$1.53 KES 198
-16.99%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K MX$540.4K
$21.6K KES 2.8M
42.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$408.0K
$19.9K KES 2.6M
16.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Eldoret
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,435
$33.93 KES 4,380
141.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45 MX$393
$16.66 KES 2,150
34.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66 MX$519
$38.81 KES 5,009
-23.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Eldoret
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.9 MX$908
$38.19 KES 4,929
35.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67 MX$327
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97 MX$87.0
$5.15 KES 664
-3.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Eldoret
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,462
$65.5 KES 8,450
202.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,273 MX$92.3K
$8,025 KES 1.0M
-34.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Eldoret
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34 MX$636
$11.66 KES 1,504
211.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05 MX$701
$23.97 KES 3,094
67.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 MX$1,398
$19.57 KES 2,526
308.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,555
$34.63 KES 4,469
156.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Eldoret
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.9K
$91.6 KES 11.8K
951.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$465 MX$8,133
$90.6 KES 11.7K
413.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,596 MX$27.9K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 MX$21.2K
$268 KES 34.6K
350.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,942 MX$69.0K
$627 KES 80.9K
528.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,448 MX$112.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Eldoret
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$720 MX$12.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
12
-4.83%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Eldoret: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $91.6 in Eldoret. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $38.00 in Eldoret for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $136 per month, with Eldoret 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
Playa del Carmen vs Eldoret: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Eldoret?
Eldoret wins on cost – living expenses run 139% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Eldoret the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen vs Eldoret?
You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $809 in Eldoret 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen vs Eldoret?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $91.6 in Eldoret. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or Eldoret?
Supermarket bills run roughly 84% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Eldoret?
All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $539 in Eldoret – a 139% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or Eldoret?
At $539 in Eldoret versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Eldoret but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Eldoret the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Eldoret?
Both work as nomad bases, but Eldoret delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $539 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Eldoret hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Eldoret gentler on the wallet – expenses run 139% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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