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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $461 in Garissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $775 in Garissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,089 in Garissa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 181% more than Garissa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Garissa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Garissa 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.38 KES 827

83.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$22.95 KES 2,974

81.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$2.67 KES 346

298.50%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.16 KES 539

-15.38%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.10 KES 143

37.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.68 KES 87.9

42.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.90 KES 246

55.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.65 KES 343

67.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.84 KES 109

64.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.51 KES 66.3

270.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.15 KES 149

42.61%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.65 KES 214

52.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.32 KES 819

31.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$4.25 KES 550

152.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.15 KES 408

-17.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.28 KES 296

-35.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.08 KES 399

-38.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.64 KES 83.4

225.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.86 KES 112

106.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.14 KES 148

92.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.70 KES 90.2

48.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.44 KES 57.2

145.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.29 KES 297

78.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$5.66 KES 733

82.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.87 KES 243

-8.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.20 KES 414

-19.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.31 KES 299

41.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.08 KES 140

21.30%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$9,343 KES 1.2M

150.78%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$15.74 KES 2,040

426.49%

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$23.24 KES 3,011

26.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$22.82 KES 2,956

126.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$11.81 KES 1,531

212.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$7.53 KES 976

428.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$22.75 KES 2,948

244.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$23.61 KES 3,058

268.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$99.9 KES 12.9K

873.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$77.2 KES 10.0K

505.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$191 KES 24.8K

757.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$173 KES 22.5K

604.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$128 KES 16.6K

419.26%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Garissa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $99.9 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 419% 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 $154 – 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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $461 in Garissa – roughly 181% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $691 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $461 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 $461, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $461 in Garissa to $1,297 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.