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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $583 in Naivasha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $973 in Naivasha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,364 in Naivasha.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 116% more expensive than in Naivasha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Naivasha 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$5.37 KES 695

118.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$39.34 KES 5,084

6.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$6.95 KES 898

51.22%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$2.44 KES 315

47.13%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.72 KES 93.0

109.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.53 KES 68.5

73.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$2.33 KES 302

27.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$2.94 KES 380

50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$0.92 KES 118

52.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$0.56 KES 72.6

235.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.65 KES 213

-5.45%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$1.62 KES 210

61.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$11.55 KES 1,493

-27.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$6.77 KES 875

23.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$5.45 KES 705

99.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$3.04 KES 393

-10.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.04 KES 135

45.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$2.17 KES 280

-13.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.04 KES 135

110.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.04 KES 134

78.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.12 KES 145

99.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.65 KES 83.5

64.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.80 KES 103

36.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$3.11 KES 402

34.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$11.70 KES 1,512

-10.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$2.26 KES 292

-26.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.70 KES 349

-3.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$1.59 KES 206

93.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$1.58 KES 204

51.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$2.97 KES 383

5.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.53 KES 198

-14.38%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$21.4K KES 2.8M

39.25%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$19.7K KES 2.6M

18.17%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$34.40 KES 4,446

136.28%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$16.70 KES 2,158

35.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$40.06 KES 5,178

-24.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$6.24 KES 807

-21.15%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$205 KES 26.5K

-2.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$7,904 KES 1.0M

-34.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$18.03 KES 2,331

99.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$23.62 KES 3,052

69.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$64.8 KES 8,370

23.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$56.9 KES 7,355

51.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$116 KES 15.0K

745.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$77.8 KES 10.1K

504.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$230 KES 29.8K

617.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$189 KES 24.4K

536.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$785 KES 101.4K

403.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

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 Naivasha: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $116 in Naivasha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $39.00 in Naivasha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $206 per month, with Naivasha 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 Naivasha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Naivasha is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $875 in Naivasha to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $116 in Naivasha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $205 in Naivasha. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Naivasha – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $583 in Naivasha versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Naivasha but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Naivasha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Naivasha 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 Naivasha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 116% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.