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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $467 in Garissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $774 in Garissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,082 in Garissa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 169% more than Garissa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Garissa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Garissa 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$6.55 KES 846

83.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$23.28 KES 3,008

79.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$2.78 KES 359

286.69%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$4.36 KES 563

-19.72%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.15 KES 148

26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.68 KES 87.5

29.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.88 KES 243

56.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.74 KES 354

64.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$0.86 KES 111

66.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.52 KES 66.8

253.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.10 KES 142

42.73%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.70 KES 219

47.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$6.28 KES 811

34.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$4.31 KES 557

147.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$3.03 KES 391

-13.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.35 KES 304

-38.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$3.14 KES 405

-37.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.68 KES 88.2

207.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.86 KES 112

115.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.13 KES 145

92.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.66 KES 84.8

56.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.48 KES 62.1

122.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$2.37 KES 306

73.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$5.65 KES 730

80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.83 KES 237

-8.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$3.34 KES 432

-24.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$2.36 KES 304

36.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.07 KES 139

23.36%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$9,144 KES 1.2M

158.78%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$15.34 KES 1,982

434.62%

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

$22.95 MX$403

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$22.96 KES 2,967

31.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$23.01 KES 2,973

125.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

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

$197 MX$3,463

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$11.45 KES 1,480

210.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$7.86 KES 1,015

413.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$23.53 KES 3,040

234.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$22.86 KES 2,953

289.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$103 KES 13.3K

823.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$76.1 KES 9,831

522.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$193 KES 24.9K

752.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$171 KES 22.1K

607.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$130 KES 16.8K

404.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Garissa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $103 in Garissa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 404% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $23.00 in Garissa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $155 – making Garissa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Garissa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $467 in Garissa – roughly 169% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $700 in Garissa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Garissa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $23.00 in Garissa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $467 in Garissa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Garissa, where all-in costs run around $467, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Garissa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $467 in Garissa to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Garissa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.