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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $630 in Kilifi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,038 in Kilifi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,446 in Kilifi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 105% more than Kilifi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kilifi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Kilifi 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$1.96 KES 254

497.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$49.48 KES 6,402

-5.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$2.37 KES 307

391.56%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$1.96 KES 254

108.67%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.81 KES 104

69.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.75 KES 96.7

10.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$1.56 KES 202

114.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$1.09 KES 141

58.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$0.83 KES 108

172.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$2.06 KES 267

-14.08%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$1.93 KES 250

41.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$7.95 KES 1,028

58.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$2.34 KES 303

29.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$0.72 KES 93.2

118.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$1.72 KES 223

23.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$0.48 KES 61.7

370.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$0.80 KES 104

150.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$0.78 KES 101

164.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.24 KES 31.05

400.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$12.50 KES 1,617

-14.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$1.72 KES 223

-5.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.78 KES 101

-26.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$26.93 KES 3,485

10.77%

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

$1.38 KES 178

12.32%

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

$15.34 KES 1,985

481.03%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$10.23 KES 1,323

144.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$25.09 KES 3,246

25.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$28.14 KES 3,641

140.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$7.51 KES 971

-32.76%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$161 KES 20.8K

39.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$4,960 KES 641.7K

-14.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$9.61 KES 1,243

393.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$9.06 KES 1,172

396.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$15.33 KES 1,983

434.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$17.41 KES 2,252

429.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$328 KES 42.5K

225.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$307 KES 39.8K

31.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$273 KES 35.4K

607.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$564 KES 72.9K

130.90%

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

$228 KES 29.4K

229.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

43.12%

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 Kilifi: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $328 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 229% 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 $49.00 in Kilifi. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $125 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: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, $630 in Kilifi – roughly 105% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $944 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 $225 per month in Playa del Carmen and $161 in Kilifi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 122% 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 $630, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $630 in Kilifi to $1,293 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.