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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,239 in Playa del Carmen versus $539 in Isiolo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,168 in Playa del Carmen versus $876 in Isiolo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,096 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,214 in Isiolo.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 130% more expensive than in Isiolo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 8% lower, Isiolo 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.17 MX$202

$4.73 KES 613

136.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.61 MX$806

$34.12 KES 4,424

30.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.91 MX$215

$6.07 KES 787

96.21%

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$68.9

$2.72 KES 352

40.07%

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

$1.38 MX$24.86

$0.59 KES 76.5

133.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 MX$14.39

$0.63 KES 81.8

26.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$56.3

$2.35 KES 305

32.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 MX$89.8

$2.62 KES 340

89.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$27.30

$0.86 KES 112

75.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 MX$40.59

$0.57 KES 74.2

294.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MX$27.23

$1.93 KES 250

-21.76%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$44.52

$1.67 KES 216

47.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 MX$136

$10.77 KES 1,396

-30.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.07 MX$146

$6.47 KES 839

24.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 MX$236

$6.40 KES 829

104.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 MX$51.2

$3.18 KES 412

-11.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MX$26.66

$1.03 KES 134

42.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 MX$48.68

$1.97 KES 256

36.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$37.58

$1.13 KES 147

84.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$35.36

$1.10 KES 143

78.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$36.34

$1.03 KES 133

95.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MX$21.87

$0.68 KES 87.9

77.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 MX$22.24

$0.74 KES 95.4

66.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 MX$80.7

$3.52 KES 457

26.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.98 MX$180

$11.42 KES 1,480

-12.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 MX$29.49

$2.29 KES 297

-28.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 MX$50.6

$2.80 KES 363

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 MX$10.45

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.28 MX$511

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 MX$87.7

$1.57 KES 203

208.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 MX$63.2

$1.53 KES 198

128.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 MX$102

$2.94 KES 381

92.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$26.31

$1.43 KES 185

2.10%

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

$21.4K MX$386.7K

$21.4K KES 2.8M

0.17%

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

$24.0K MX$433.6K

$20.1K KES 2.6M

19.62%

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

$86.3 MX$1,560

$61.9 KES 8,020

39.58%

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

$23.96 MX$433

$15.49 KES 2,008

54.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.93 MX$523

$35.16 KES 4,559

-17.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 MX$1,168

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.07 MX$525

Cinema Ticket

$5.13 MX$92.7

$7.93 KES 1,028

-35.31%

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

$211 MX$3,820

$252 KES 32.6K

-16.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$73.1K

$11.8K KES 1.5M

-65.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 MX$799

$28.60 KES 3,708

54.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.35 MX$784

$28.49 KES 3,695

52.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 MX$1,390

$68.9 KES 8,926

11.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 MX$1,598

$59.3 KES 7,689

49.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$996 MX$18.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 MX$6,843

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,767 MX$31.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 MX$20.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,010 MX$72.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,392 MX$115.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$768 MX$13.9K

$761 KES 98.6K

0.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

14.71

-22.16%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 27, 2026

Last update for Isiolo: September 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 1% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $34.00 in Isiolo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $263 vs $205 per month, with Isiolo 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 Isiolo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Isiolo wins on cost – living expenses run 130% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Isiolo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,239 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $539 in Isiolo – a 130% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $539 in Isiolo versus $1,239 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Isiolo but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Isiolo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Isiolo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $539 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Isiolo hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Isiolo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 130% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.