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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $506 in Thika, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $862 in Thika, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,218 in Thika, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 158% more than Thika, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Thika are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Thika 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$3.45 KES 446

246.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$805

$34.50 KES 4,461

37.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$200

$6.27 KES 811

87.40%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.1

$1.90 KES 246

116.84%

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

$1.40 MX$23.78

$0.30 KES 38.72

366.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.50

$0.56 KES 72.8

62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.5

$1.98 KES 257

62.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.10 KES 272

236.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.49

$0.69 KES 89.5

143.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.53

$0.44 KES 57.2

388.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.14

$1.15 KES 149

53.91%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.83

$1.41 KES 182

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$10.27 KES 1,328

-10.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.36 KES 822

45.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$215

$3.97 KES 513

218.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.56 KES 201

89.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.83

$0.64 KES 83.2

146.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.76

$0.81 KES 104

174.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.15

$1.08 KES 140

118.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.86

$0.38 KES 48.79

423.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.63

$0.44 KES 57.5

350.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.07

$0.73 KES 94.0

69.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.58

$0.38 KES 48.63

218.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.2

$2.77 KES 359

66.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$179

$5.69 KES 735

84.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.74

$1.84 KES 238

-8.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.13

$1.98 KES 256

39.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$89.0

$1.52 KES 197

244.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$62.0

$0.92 KES 119

296.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.3

$2.96 KES 383

95.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.13

$1.38 KES 179

11.59%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

$20.4K KES 2.6M

11.92%

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

$25.8K MX$438.5K

$20.1K KES 2.6M

28.40%

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

$90.7 MX$1,540

$35.10 KES 4,539

158.32%

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

$25.19 MX$428

$15.12 KES 1,955

66.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$35.30 KES 4,564

-10.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,169

$45.51 KES 5,885

51.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.6

$7.65 KES 989

-36.47%

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

$226 MX$3,834

$53.9 KES 6,967

318.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

$3,541 KES 457.8K

18.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$805

$27.29 KES 3,529

73.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$738

$26.43 KES 3,417

64.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,363

$63.5 KES 8,206

26.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,552

$19.58 KES 2,532

366.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$98.4 KES 12.7K

1002.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,943

$58.7 KES 7,584

596.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$270 KES 34.9K

630.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.8K

$177 KES 22.9K

622.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

$616 KES 79.6K

556.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

14.71

-22.16%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Thika: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $98.4 in Thika. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $34.00 in Thika. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $150 – making Thika the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Thika: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 158%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $760 in Thika. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Thika, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $506 in Thika. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $53.9 in Thika. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Thika, where all-in costs run around $506, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Thika it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Thika – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Thika. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.