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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $430 in Kilifi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $770 in Kilifi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,110 in Kilifi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 202% more than Kilifi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kilifi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Kilifi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.27 KES 294

416.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$50.9 KES 6,593

-18.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$2.37 KES 307

348.95%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.91 KES 248

84.29%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.80 KES 103

88.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.76 KES 98.2

27.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.89 KES 245

56.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.88 KES 114

56.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.75 KES 97.2

152.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.96 KES 254

-16.33%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.88 KES 243

33.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.28 KES 295

14.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.90 KES 117

62.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.79 KES 232

6.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.70 KES 90.2

197.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.64 KES 82.5

178.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.60 KES 77.6

265.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.24 KES 31.25

350.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$12.57 KES 1,628

-17.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.97 KES 255

-13.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.75 KES 97.6

-32.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$26.74 KES 3,464

-1.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.76 KES 98.1

227.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.31 KES 170

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

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$15.25 KES 1,976

443.41%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$10.26 KES 1,329

116.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$24.87 KES 3,222

17.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$27.59 KES 3,574

87.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$7.57 KES 981

-33.03%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$163 KES 21.1K

23.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,961 KES 642.6K

5.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$9.76 KES 1,265

278.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$9.06 KES 1,174

339.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$15.31 KES 1,984

412.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$17.27 KES 2,238

404.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$177 KES 22.9K

449.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$114 KES 14.7K

311.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$266 KES 34.5K

516.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$269 KES 34.8K

354.35%

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

$228 KES 29.5K

191.12%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 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 191% 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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $430 in Kilifi – roughly 202% 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 $645 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 $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $163 in Kilifi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 149% 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 $430, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $430 in Kilifi to $1,297 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.