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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $309 in Kisii.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $442 in Kisii.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $576 in Kisii.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 322% more expensive than in Kisii, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Kisii 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$202

$2.67 KES 345

347.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$800

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$198

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$69.6

$1.40 KES 181

194.29%

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

$1.40 MX$23.63

$0.82 KES 105

70.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.40

$0.22 KES 28.43

313.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.1

$1.83 KES 236

75.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$119

$2.34 KES 302

202.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.31

$0.88 KES 114

90.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.31

$0.48 KES 62.1

347.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.96

$2.34 KES 302

-24.36%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.54

$1.83 KES 236

54.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$155

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$156

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$213

$4.56 KES 590

177.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$49.83

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.66

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.53

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$39.90

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.65

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.42

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$20.94

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.46

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$77.7

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.56

$1.96 KES 253

-13.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$46.84

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.17

$0.41 KES 52.8

46.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$502

$15.66 KES 2,026

89.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.4

$0.75 KES 96.4

598.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$25.97

$1.55 KES 201

-0.65%

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

$22.8K MX$385.0K

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

$25.8K MX$435.8K

$11.4K KES 1.5M

126.81%

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

$90.7 MX$1,531

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

$25.19 MX$425

$16.47 KES 2,131

52.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$536

$49.35 KES 6,383

-35.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,162

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$496

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.1

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

$226 MX$3,811

$38.45 KES 4,973

486.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$70.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$800

$11.39 KES 1,473

315.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$734

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,355

$39.25 KES 5,076

104.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,543

$30.78 KES 3,981

196.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,900

$78.2 KES 10.1K

422.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.6K

$157 KES 20.3K

718.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kisii: September 5, 2026

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 Kisii: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kisii wins on cost – living expenses run 322% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kisii the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,958 in Playa del Carmen and $464 in Kisii to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 417% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $309 in Kisii – a 322% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $309 in Kisii versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kisii but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Kisii the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kisii delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $309 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kisii hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Kisii gentler on the wallet – expenses run 322% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.