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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $509 in Molo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $843 in Molo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,176 in Molo.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 148% more expensive than in 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

$11.72 MX$203

$5.51 KES 713

112.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$39.20 KES 5,067

6.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.87 KES 888

52.98%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.45 KES 316

46.53%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.72 KES 92.7

109.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.54 KES 69.5

70.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.27 KES 294

30.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.87 KES 370

53.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.92 KES 119

52.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.57 KES 73.8

229.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.59 KES 206

-1.89%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.68 KES 217

55.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$11.53 KES 1,490

-27.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.85 KES 885

21.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$5.46 KES 706

98.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.14 KES 406

-13.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.07 KES 138

41.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.14 KES 276

-12.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.06 KES 137

106.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.03 KES 133

80.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.12 KES 145

99.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.65 KES 83.4

64.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.81 KES 105

34.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.04 KES 393

37.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$11.71 KES 1,514

-10.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.22 KES 287

-25.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.68 KES 346

-2.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.50 KES 194

105.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.51 KES 195

58.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.83 KES 366

10.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.59 KES 206

-17.61%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$21.7K KES 2.8M

37.45%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$20.2K KES 2.6M

15.47%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$34.40 KES 4,447

136.28%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$17.11 KES 2,211

31.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$39.29 KES 5,078

-23.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.28 KES 812

-21.66%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$202 KES 26.1K

-0.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$7,932 KES 1.0M

-34.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$18.28 KES 2,363

96.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$24.43 KES 3,157

64.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$66.2 KES 8,560

20.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$57.0 KES 7,361

51.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$390 KES 50.4K

73.45%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Molo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 73% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $39.00 in Molo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $207 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 148% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 73% 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 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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $509 in Molo – a 148% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $509 in Molo versus $1,260 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 148% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.