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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $364 in Malindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $596 in Malindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $829 in Malindi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 246% more than Malindi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Malindi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Malindi 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$2.11 KES 272

455.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$726

$31.20 KES 4,033

34.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.1

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

$1.51 MX$26.13

$1.53 KES 198

-1.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.86

$0.89 KES 115

3.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$3.54 KES 457

-16.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.4

$3.40 KES 439

29.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.19

$0.98 KES 127

42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.65

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.01

$1.26 KES 163

23.81%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.20

$2.91 KES 376

-10.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$11.44 KES 1,479

-27.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.05 KES 781

38.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$5.15 KES 665

110.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.00

$3.05 KES 395

-11.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.08

$0.76 KES 97.9

98.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.46

$2.64 KES 341

-29.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.94

$0.71 KES 91.3

208.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.18

$0.75 KES 96.4

148.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.64

$0.71 KES 92.2

214.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.51

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.82

$0.52 KES 67.4

109.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$181

$7.65 KES 989

36.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.72

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.26

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.39

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.72

$1.37 KES 177

-4.38%

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

$29.8K MX$516.4K

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

$23.3K MX$404.1K

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

$81.3 MX$1,408

$78.4 KES 10.1K

3.65%

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

$22.56 MX$391

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$521

$31.23 KES 4,037

-3.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$917

$38.06 KES 4,919

39.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.2

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

$201 MX$3,479

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$695

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,498

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,152

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$382 KES 49.3K

332.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Malindi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $31.00 in Malindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $166 – making Malindi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Malindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 246% more than Malindi, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $546 in Malindi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $364 in Malindi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 52% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Malindi, where all-in costs run around $364, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Malindi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Malindi costs $364 versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Malindi. 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.