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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $478 in Thika, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $795 in Thika, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,113 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 4% lower, Thika 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$5.27 KES 680

126.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$39.16 KES 5,055

9.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$6.95 KES 898

52.37%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.44 KES 315

48.36%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.74 KES 95.7

98.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.50 KES 64.5

88.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.73 KES 223

78.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.98 KES 255

125.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.92 KES 119

55.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.44 KES 57.4

327.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.33 KES 171

22.56%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.37 KES 177

92.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$11.51 KES 1,486

-28.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.86 KES 886

20.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$1.98 KES 255

460.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.02 KES 390

-12.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.07 KES 138

40.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.09 KES 270

-4.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.04 KES 134

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.03 KES 134

73.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.11 KES 143

96.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.69 KES 88.5

56.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.82 KES 105

26.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.35 KES 303

68.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$5.65 KES 730

80.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.73 KES 223

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.91 KES 246

30.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.53 KES 197

105.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.57 KES 203

52.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$2.96 KES 382

4.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.02 KES 131

24.51%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$22.1K KES 2.9M

39.80%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$19.7K KES 2.5M

18.12%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$34.17 KES 4,410

140.01%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$17.06 KES 2,202

31.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$38.97 KES 5,030

-23.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.30 KES 813

-21.11%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$202 KES 26.0K

-1.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$7,948 KES 1.0M

-33.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$18.57 KES 2,397

95.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$24.27 KES 3,132

65.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$66.5 KES 8,583

20.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$56.7 KES 7,315

56.84%

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

$615 KES 79.4K

541.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Thika: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $39.00 in Thika. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $717 in Thika. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $478 in Thika. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $202 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 $478, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.