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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $544 in Molo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $882 in Molo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,220 in Molo.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 133% more expensive than in Molo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Molo 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$4.55 KES 589

154.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$35.29 KES 4,566

33.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$6.03 KES 781

97.01%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$2.75 KES 356

44.73%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$0.58 KES 75.6

146.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.64 KES 82.5

28.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$2.27 KES 293

40.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.65 KES 343

156.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$0.94 KES 122

78.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$0.58 KES 74.4

279.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.86 KES 241

-8.06%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$1.70 KES 220

61.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$10.67 KES 1,380

-10.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.33 KES 819

42.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$6.11 KES 791

109.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$3.31 KES 428

-12.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.07 KES 138

40.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$2.06 KES 267

4.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$1.13 KES 146

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$1.14 KES 148

73.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$1.09 KES 141

82.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$0.67 KES 87.3

83.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.74 KES 95.8

62.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$3.44 KES 445

32.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$11.61 KES 1,503

-10.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$2.32 KES 300

-30.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$2.74 KES 354

5.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$1.52 KES 197

254.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$1.51 KES 195

147.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$2.92 KES 378

97.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.57 KES 204

-1.91%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$21.7K KES 2.8M

4.05%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$20.5K KES 2.7M

27.18%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$62.5 KES 8,082

46.30%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$15.75 KES 2,038

60.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$35.67 KES 4,616

-12.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$7.90 KES 1,022

-38.48%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$246 KES 31.8K

-9.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$11.4K KES 1.5M

-63.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$27.81 KES 3,599

69.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$28.43 KES 3,679

55.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$68.9 KES 8,909

16.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$58.0 KES 7,498

59.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$386 KES 49.9K

96.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

14.71

-22.16%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Molo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 97% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $35.00 in Molo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $206 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 133% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 97% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 34% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $544 in Molo – a 133% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $544 in Molo versus $1,266 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 133% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.