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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $436 in Kilifi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $782 in Kilifi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,128 in Kilifi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 188% more than Kilifi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kilifi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Kilifi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$2.25 KES 291

432.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$50.9 KES 6,573

-17.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$2.30 KES 297

367.39%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.90 KES 246

84.21%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.74 KES 95.8

95.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.78 KES 101

12.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.98 KES 256

48.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$0.88 KES 114

62.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.81 KES 104

127.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.90 KES 246

-17.37%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.80 KES 233

39.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$2.31 KES 298

12.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$0.85 KES 109

69.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.83 KES 236

7.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.66 KES 84.7

216.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.64 KES 83.0

189.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.64 KES 82.4

239.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.24 KES 31.15

345.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$12.82 KES 1,656

-20.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.95 KES 253

-13.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.78 KES 101

-34.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$27.55 KES 3,559

-5.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.80 KES 103

201.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.37 KES 177

-3.65%

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

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$15.61 KES 2,017

425.37%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$10.28 KES 1,329

123.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$25.26 KES 3,263

19.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$28.03 KES 3,622

85.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$7.62 KES 985

-34.65%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$162 KES 20.9K

21.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$5,072 KES 655.3K

5.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$9.52 KES 1,229

273.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$8.67 KES 1,121

365.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$15.59 KES 2,014

405.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$17.13 KES 2,213

419.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$177 KES 22.8K

435.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$113 KES 14.6K

319.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$275 KES 35.5K

498.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$266 KES 34.4K

355.25%

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

$235 KES 30.4K

178.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

42.75%

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 Kilifi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $177 in Kilifi. 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 178% 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 $51.0 in Kilifi. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $100 in Kilifi – so Kilifi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kilifi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $436 in Kilifi – roughly 188% 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 $655 in Kilifi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $162 in Kilifi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 148% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kilifi, where all-in costs run around $436, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Kilifi 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 $436 in Kilifi to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Kilifi. 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.