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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $551 in Narok.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $908 in Narok.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,265 in Narok.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Narok 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$5.52 KES 713

116.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$38.56 KES 4,977

10.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$6.86 KES 885

54.37%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.43 KES 314

48.97%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.70 KES 89.8

110.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.54 KES 69.4

74.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.36 KES 305

30.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.97 KES 383

50.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.89 KES 114

60.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.54 KES 69.5

248.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.66 KES 214

-1.81%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.63 KES 211

61.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$11.53 KES 1,488

-28.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.64 KES 856

24.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$5.46 KES 704

103.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.16 KES 408

-16.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.04 KES 134

44.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.16 KES 279

-7.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.06 KES 136

96.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.02 KES 132

75.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.12 KES 145

94.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.66 KES 84.8

63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.79 KES 102

31.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$3.06 KES 395

29.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$6.91 KES 892

47.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.18 KES 281

-20.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.82 KES 364

-11.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$1.53 KES 197

-66.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$45.50 KES 5,873

-40.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.54 KES 199

103.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.58 KES 204

51.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$2.93 KES 378

5.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.43 KES 185

-11.19%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$21.7K KES 2.8M

42.57%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$19.7K KES 2.5M

18.17%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$34.97 KES 4,514

134.52%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$16.91 KES 2,182

32.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$39.91 KES 5,152

-25.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.12 KES 789

-18.79%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$204 KES 26.4K

-3.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$8,125 KES 1.0M

-35.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$18.50 KES 2,388

96.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$23.85 KES 3,078

67.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$64.1 KES 8,275

24.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$56.3 KES 7,266

57.90%

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

$1,529 KES 197.4K

157.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,151 KES 148.6K

460.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$305 KES 39.4K

136.24%

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 Narok: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 136% 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 Narok for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $195 per month, with Narok 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 Narok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Narok differ by about 133% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $551 including rent). Narok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 136% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $204 in Narok. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $551 in Narok versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Narok but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Narok the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Narok 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.