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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $766 per month in Accra vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,317 per month in Accra vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Accra vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Accra is about 41% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Accra and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Accra 43% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 GHS 50.7

$11.73 MX$203

-63.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.88 GHS 554

$41.62 MX$719

12.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 GHS 92.5

$10.64 MX$184

-26.50%

Cappuccino

$3.45 GHS 40.81

$3.52 MX$60.8

-1.99%

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

$0.94 GHS 11.14

$1.51 MX$26.09

-37.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 GHS 4.06

$0.97 MX$16.82

-64.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 GHS 18.66

$2.95 MX$51.0

-46.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 GHS 29.80

$4.45 MX$77.0

-43.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.37 GHS 39.89

$1.38 MX$23.90

144.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 GHS 16.93

$1.89 MX$32.69

-24.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 GHS 28.71

$1.64 MX$28.29

48.17%

Eggs

$2.29 GHS 27.08

$2.51 MX$43.30

-8.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 GHS 134

$8.34 MX$144

36.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.62 GHS 54.6

$8.34 MX$144

-44.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.03 GHS 71.3

$10.73 MX$185

-43.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 GHS 34.33

$2.60 MX$45.00

11.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 GHS 17.00

$1.46 MX$25.18

-1.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 GHS 19.42

$1.90 MX$32.84

-13.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 GHS 36.37

$2.08 MX$35.88

48.08%

Potato (1kg)

$3.13 GHS 36.96

$1.78 MX$30.68

75.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 GHS 28.64

$2.19 MX$37.76

10.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 GHS 9.65

$1.04 MX$17.97

-21.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 GHS 6.10

$1.08 MX$18.60

-51.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.58 GHS 18.62

$4.08 MX$70.5

-61.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.07 GHS 83.6

$10.32 MX$178

-31.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 GHS 13.24

$1.71 MX$29.59

-34.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 GHS 22.81

$2.58 MX$44.50

-25.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 GHS 12.29

$0.51 MX$8.81

103.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.78 GHS 411

$26.46 MX$457

31.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 GHS 18.42

$3.26 MX$56.4

-52.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.18 GHS 13.92

$2.49 MX$43.05

-52.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 GHS 63.9

$3.25 MX$56.1

66.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 GHS 12.64

$1.31 MX$22.59

-18.32%

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

$8,145 GHS 96.3K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-73.10%

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

$9,815 GHS 116.0K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

-58.11%

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

$56.4 GHS 667

$82.9 MX$1,432

-31.92%

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

$13.00 GHS 154

$22.22 MX$384

-41.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.61 GHS 444

$29.34 MX$507

28.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.58 GHS 421

$51.6 MX$892

-31.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.03 GHS 190

$18.32 MX$317

-12.50%

Cinema Ticket

$9.60 GHS 114

$5.07 MX$87.5

89.35%

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

$72.0 GHS 851

$201 MX$3,470

-64.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,954 GHS 94.0K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

52.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.88 GHS 176

$36.92 MX$638

-59.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.54 GHS 219

$39.79 MX$688

-53.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$28.78 GHS 340

$78.5 MX$1,356

-63.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.81 GHS 482

$87.1 MX$1,505

-53.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 GHS 6,255

$973 MX$16.8K

-45.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 GHS 1,776

$468 MX$8,082

-67.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 GHS 12.3K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-36.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 GHS 4,316

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-70.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 GHS 33.6K

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-28.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,501 GHS 17.7K

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-76.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 GHS 2,038

$664 MX$11.5K

-74.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.4

11.42

122.42%

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

Last update for Accra: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $529 in Accra versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 285% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Accra versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Accra vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Accra wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $766 in Accra, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 69% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,150 per month in Accra and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 6% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Accra and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Accra, where all-in costs run around $766, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Accra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $766 in Accra to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Accra. 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.