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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $376 in Garissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $657 in Garissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $938 in Garissa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 244% more than Garissa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Garissa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Garissa 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$11.69 KES 1,512

0.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$23.22 KES 3,005

100.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$7.79 KES 1,008

-47.50%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.97 KES 255

-30.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$1.14 KES 148

-27.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$0.52 KES 67.0

232.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$0.59 KES 76.7

283.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$1.44 KES 186

22.92%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$1.92 KES 248

42.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$6.35 KES 822

40.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$5.36 KES 694

135.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$3.95 KES 511

-23.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$3.05 KES 395

-48.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$4.52 KES 584

-52.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$0.74 KES 95.9

205.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$1.25 KES 162

60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$1.56 KES 201

32.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$2.30 KES 298

-48.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.51 KES 66.5

135.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$5.89 KES 762

81.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$1.68 KES 217

-3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$3.79 KES 490

-24.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

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

$25.04 MX$423

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

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

$225 MX$3,803

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$132 KES 17.1K

466.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Garissa: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 467% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $23.00 in Garissa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $182 – 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: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, $376 in Garissa – roughly 244% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $564 in Garissa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $376 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 $376, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $376 in Garissa to $1,293 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.