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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $506 in Molo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $861 in Molo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,216 in Molo.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 154% more expensive than Molo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Molo 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$5.34 KES 690

123.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$38.63 KES 4,987

10.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$6.88 KES 888

53.92%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.37 KES 305

52.74%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.72 KES 92.8

104.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.50 KES 64.8

88.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.38 KES 307

29.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.84 KES 367

57.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.86 KES 111

66.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.57 KES 73.4

229.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.57 KES 203

3.82%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.65 KES 212

60.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$11.41 KES 1,473

-28.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.82 KES 880

21.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$5.53 KES 714

100.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.04 KES 393

-12.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.04 KES 134

44.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.18 KES 281

-8.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.05 KES 136

98.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.02 KES 132

75.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.17 KES 152

86.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.68 KES 88.2

58.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.82 KES 106

26.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$3.16 KES 408

25.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$11.54 KES 1,489

-11.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.27 KES 293

-23.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.78 KES 359

-10.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.53 KES 198

105.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.57 KES 203

52.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$2.95 KES 381

4.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.53 KES 198

-16.99%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$21.6K KES 2.8M

42.69%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$19.7K KES 2.5M

18.06%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$33.79 KES 4,361

142.70%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$17.03 KES 2,198

31.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$38.64 KES 4,987

-23.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.21 KES 801

-19.97%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$202 KES 26.1K

-2.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$7,979 KES 1.0M

-33.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$18.34 KES 2,368

98.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$23.57 KES 3,042

69.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$66.1 KES 8,529

20.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$56.5 KES 7,288

57.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$388 KES 50.1K

85.63%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Molo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 86% 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 $39.00 in Molo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 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 154% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 86% 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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $506 in Molo – a 154% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $506 in Molo versus $1,287 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 154% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.