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 $472 per month in Thika vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $791 per month in Thika vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,110 per month in Thika vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Thika is about 63% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Thika and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Thika 65% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.46 KES 705

$11.72 MX$204

-53.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.67 KES 4,998

$41.89 MX$731

-7.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.85 KES 885

$10.51 MX$183

-34.82%

Cappuccino

$2.41 KES 311

$3.59 MX$62.5

-32.87%

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

$0.75 KES 96.6

$1.51 MX$26.31

-50.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 65.0

$0.92 MX$15.96

-45.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 KES 213

$2.96 MX$51.6

-44.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 KES 257

$4.41 MX$76.9

-54.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 KES 113

$1.40 MX$24.35

-37.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 KES 56.9

$1.88 MX$32.87

-76.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 KES 177

$1.56 MX$27.19

-12.18%

Eggs

$1.35 KES 174

$2.61 MX$45.50

-48.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 KES 1,493

$8.32 MX$145

38.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 KES 885

$8.35 MX$146

-17.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.88 KES 243

$10.86 MX$189

-82.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 KES 391

$2.71 MX$47.31

11.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 134

$1.51 MX$26.25

-31.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 KES 273

$1.87 MX$32.67

12.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 KES 129

$2.19 MX$38.19

-54.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.86 MX$32.40

-42.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$2.23 MX$38.90

-50.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 83.9

$1.07 MX$18.63

-39.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.1

$1.09 MX$18.94

-30.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 KES 306

$4.19 MX$73.0

-43.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 KES 733

$10.43 MX$182

-45.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 KES 218

$1.66 MX$28.91

1.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 256

$2.61 MX$45.56

-24.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KES 203

$3.08 MX$53.7

-49.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 KES 197

$2.40 MX$41.94

-36.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 384

$3.13 MX$54.5

-5.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 KES 136

$1.31 MX$22.87

-19.85%

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

$22.0K KES 2.8M

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-26.24%

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

$19.9K KES 2.6M

$23.3K MX$406.8K

-14.81%

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

$33.97 KES 4,391

$81.3 MX$1,418

-58.21%

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

$16.57 KES 2,142

$22.56 MX$393

-26.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.97 KES 5,166

$30.05 MX$524

33.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$6.13 KES 793

$4.92 MX$85.8

24.59%

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

$203 KES 26.3K

$201 MX$3,502

1.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,150 KES 1.1M

$5,175 MX$90.2K

57.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.27 KES 2,362

$35.92 MX$627

-49.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.31 KES 3,142

$40.13 MX$700

-39.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.4 KES 8,585

$79.7 MX$1,390

-16.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 KES 7,190

$86.5 MX$1,508

-35.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$613 KES 79.3K

$3,953 MX$69.0K

-84.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Thika versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $174 vs $252 – 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 167%, 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 $707 per month in Thika and $1,890 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 $472 in Thika and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $203 per month in Thika and $201 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 $472, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.