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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $516 in Molo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $847 in Molo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,178 in Molo.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 146% more expensive than Molo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Molo 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$5.37 KES 696

121.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$38.20 KES 4,953

12.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$6.68 KES 866

59.43%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.43 KES 316

41.98%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.72 KES 93.3

108.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.50 KES 64.7

90.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.39 KES 310

26.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.86 KES 371

61.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.94 KES 122

46.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.53 KES 68.5

249.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.64 KES 213

-1.83%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.68 KES 218

54.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$11.60 KES 1,504

-28.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.68 KES 866

25.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$5.77 KES 749

84.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.06 KES 397

-14.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.05 KES 136

41.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.10 KES 273

-8.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.02 KES 132

104.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.08 KES 140

72.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.11 KES 144

103.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.64 KES 83.0

65.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.75 KES 96.9

45.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.02 KES 392

37.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$11.46 KES 1,486

-9.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.18 KES 283

-21.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.75 KES 356

-5.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.58 KES 205

98.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.58 KES 204

58.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$2.91 KES 378

8.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.56 KES 203

-18.59%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$21.3K KES 2.8M

42.51%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$19.7K KES 2.6M

19.53%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$34.50 KES 4,474

140.58%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$16.63 KES 2,156

36.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$38.70 KES 5,018

-23.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.37 KES 826

-22.61%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$206 KES 26.8K

-4.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$8,045 KES 1.0M

-34.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$18.33 KES 2,376

101.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$24.45 KES 3,170

63.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$66.5 KES 8,625

20.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$55.6 KES 7,205

61.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$388 KES 50.3K

71.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

14.84

-23.05%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Molo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 72% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $38.00 in Molo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $205 per month, with Molo cheaper across the board.

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 Molo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Molo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 146% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 72% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $516 in Molo – a 146% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $516 in Molo versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Molo but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Molo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Molo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Molo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 146% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.