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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $481 in Thika, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $806 in Thika, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,131 in Thika, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 169% more than Thika, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Thika are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Thika 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$5.58 KES 722

110.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$38.20 KES 4,943

9.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$6.99 KES 904

48.93%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$2.45 KES 317

47.35%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.70 KES 90.6

108.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.50 KES 65.0

94.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.67 KES 216

74.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$1.98 KES 256

133.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$0.92 KES 119

55.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$0.48 KES 62.1

295.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.34 KES 173

17.16%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$1.42 KES 184

85.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$11.50 KES 1,489

-26.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$6.66 KES 862

28.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$1.91 KES 247

475.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$3.19 KES 413

-15.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.04 KES 134

45.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$2.16 KES 279

-11.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.01 KES 130

114.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.03 KES 133

81.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.11 KES 144

100.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.69 KES 89.0

56.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.81 KES 105

32.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$2.27 KES 293

83.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$5.96 KES 771

72.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.67 KES 215

0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.92 KES 248

31.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$1.53 KES 198

109.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.52 KES 197

61.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$2.98 KES 385

7.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.03 KES 133

28.16%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$21.5K KES 2.8M

40.11%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$20.1K KES 2.6M

16.48%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$34.32 KES 4,441

137.03%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$16.72 KES 2,164

34.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$39.29 KES 5,084

-23.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$6.05 KES 783

-14.71%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$205 KES 26.6K

-1.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$7,902 KES 1.0M

-32.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$18.41 KES 2,382

93.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$24.10 KES 3,119

67.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$64.4 KES 8,332

22.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$57.3 KES 7,414

51.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$624 KES 80.7K

542.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.5

-0.70%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Thika: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $38.00 in Thika. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $176 – 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 169%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $721 in Thika. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $481 in Thika. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $205 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 $481, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.