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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $480 per month in Thika vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $809 per month in Thika vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,137 per month in Thika vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Thika is about 62% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Thika and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Thika 64% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.53 KES 717

$11.87 MX$204

-53.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.49 KES 4,991

$42.90 MX$736

-10.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 KES 861

$10.65 MX$183

-37.65%

Cappuccino

$2.38 KES 308

$3.45 MX$59.2

-31.01%

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

$0.75 KES 97.2

$1.50 MX$25.81

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 KES 70.3

$0.95 MX$16.28

-43.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 KES 217

$3.03 MX$51.9

-44.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 KES 258

$4.61 MX$79.1

-56.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$1.38 MX$23.61

-36.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 KES 61.5

$1.85 MX$31.70

-74.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 KES 177

$1.61 MX$27.65

-15.53%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$2.59 MX$44.51

-47.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.66 KES 1,512

$8.26 MX$142

41.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 KES 849

$8.37 MX$144

-21.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.92 KES 249

$10.66 MX$183

-81.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 KES 406

$2.63 MX$45.12

19.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.49 MX$25.53

-28.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KES 271

$1.92 MX$32.94

8.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$2.09 MX$35.81

-49.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.86 MX$31.88

-42.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 KES 146

$2.26 MX$38.81

-50.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 83.0

$1.06 MX$18.23

-39.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.9

$1.09 MX$18.67

-30.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 KES 306

$4.15 MX$71.2

-43.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.90 KES 765

$10.39 MX$178

-43.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 KES 224

$1.72 MX$29.59

0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 257

$2.61 MX$44.85

-24.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 206

$3.13 MX$53.7

-49.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 195

$2.51 MX$43.09

-40.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 KES 367

$3.15 MX$54.1

-10.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 KES 138

$1.27 MX$21.88

-16.54%

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

$21.5K KES 2.8M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-29.25%

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

$19.8K KES 2.6M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-15.83%

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

$34.61 KES 4,488

$83.0 MX$1,425

-58.30%

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

$17.09 KES 2,216

$22.71 MX$390

-24.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.46 KES 5,116

$29.46 MX$506

33.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 KES 819

$4.93 MX$84.5

27.99%

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

$205 KES 26.6K

$197 MX$3,386

4.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,182 KES 1.1M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

54.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.51 KES 2,400

$36.90 MX$633

-49.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.40 KES 3,164

$39.89 MX$685

-38.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 KES 8,626

$80.0 MX$1,373

-16.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 KES 7,328

$89.5 MX$1,536

-36.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$612 KES 79.3K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-84.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

11.42

0.70%

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

Last update for Thika: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Thika versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $250 – 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

Thika vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 164%, 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 $721 per month in Thika and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $480 in Thika and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $205 per month in Thika and $197 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $480, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.