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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $550 in Narok.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $908 in Narok.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,267 in Narok.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 129% more expensive than in Narok, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Narok 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$5.58 KES 721

110.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$38.70 KES 5,002

8.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.70 KES 866

56.87%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.45 KES 317

46.53%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.69 KES 89.8

118.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.50 KES 64.8

84.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.27 KES 293

30.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.87 KES 371

53.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.86 KES 111

62.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.53 KES 68.9

254.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.64 KES 212

-4.88%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.69 KES 219

54.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$11.60 KES 1,499

-28.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.79 KES 877

22.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$5.48 KES 708

98.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.06 KES 395

-11.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.08 KES 140

39.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.09 KES 270

-10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.06 KES 137

106.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.07 KES 139

73.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.17 KES 151

90.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.66 KES 85.0

62.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.77 KES 99.5

41.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.04 KES 393

37.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$6.82 KES 881

52.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.30 KES 297

-27.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.75 KES 355

-5.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.59 KES 206

-66.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$46.66 KES 6,031

-43.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.57 KES 203

96.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.52 KES 197

57.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.83 KES 366

10.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.36 KES 176

-3.68%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$22.0K KES 2.8M

35.48%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$19.8K KES 2.6M

17.61%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$34.11 KES 4,408

138.29%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$16.87 KES 2,180

33.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$38.82 KES 5,017

-22.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.30 KES 814

-21.90%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$202 KES 26.1K

-0.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$7,976 KES 1.0M

-35.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$18.54 KES 2,396

93.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$23.84 KES 3,081

68.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$65.7 KES 8,486

21.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$56.0 KES 7,240

54.34%

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

$1,556 KES 201.1K

154.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,160 KES 150.0K

469.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$310 KES 40.0K

118.55%

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 Narok: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 119% 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 Narok for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $196 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 129% in total monthly costs ($1,260 vs $550 including rent). Narok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 119% 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.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $202 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 $550 in Narok versus $1,260 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 129% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.