😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $617 in Nanyuki.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,015 in Nanyuki.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,413 in Nanyuki.
😐Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 109% more expensive than Nanyuki, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen4% lower, Nanyuki54% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Nanyuki
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$3.84KES 496
210.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$30.83KES 3,979
38.66%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$6.78KES 875
56.19%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$1.82KES 235
98.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$0.76KES 98.4
93.42%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.50KES 64.2
88.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$2.39KES 308
29.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$2.83KES 365
57.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Nanyuki
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$0.89KES 115
60.67%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$0.57KES 73.8
229.82%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$1.19KES 154
36.97%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$1.51KES 196
74.83%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$11.45KES 1,478
-28.30%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$6.63KES 856
25.04%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$3.78KES 488
193.65%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$3.18KES 410
-16.67%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$1.05KES 135
42.86%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$2.15KES 278
-7.44%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$1.00KES 129
108.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$1.07KES 138
67.29%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$1.13KES 145
92.92%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$0.69KES 88.8
56.52%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.81KES 104
28.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$2.75KES 355
44.36%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$11.55KES 1,491
-11.69%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$1.90KES 245
-8.95%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$1.96KES 253
27.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Nanyuki
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$0.41KES 52.5
26.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$1.57KES 202
100.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$1.50KES 193
60.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$2.86KES 369
8.04%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$1.19KES 154
6.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$22.0KKES 2.8M
40.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$19.9KKES 2.6M
17.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Nanyuki
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$33.69KES 4,348
143.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$16.87KES 2,177
33.08%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$39.58KES 5,109
-25.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Nanyuki
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$54.4KES 7,016
-4.58%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$6.08KES 785
-18.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Nanyuki
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$64.5KES 8,318
206.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$7,609KES 982.1K
-30.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Nanyuki
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$17.94KES 2,316
102.56%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$24.29KES 3,135
64.88%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$65.7KES 8,481
21.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$57.7KES 7,440
54.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Nanyuki
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$95.2KES 12.3K
911.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$78.3KES 10.1K
493.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$330KES 42.6K
383.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$210KES 27.1K
475.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Nanyuki
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
$117KES 15.0K
518.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
14.84
-23.05%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Nanyuki: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $95.2 in Nanyuki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Playa del Carmen pays 518% 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 $31.00 in Nanyuki for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $195 per month, with Nanyuki cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Nanyuki: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Nanyuki?
Nanyuki wins on cost – living expenses run 109% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nanyuki the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Playa del Carmen or Nanyuki?
Playa del Carmen pays 518% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen vs Nanyuki?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $95.2 in Nanyuki. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or Nanyuki?
Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Nanyuki?
All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $617 in Nanyuki – a 109% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or Nanyuki?
At $617 in Nanyuki versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nanyuki but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Nanyuki the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Nanyuki?
Both work as nomad bases, but Nanyuki delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $617 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nanyuki hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Nanyuki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 109% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado