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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $768 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,261 per month in Bulawayo vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,753 per month in Bulawayo vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Bulawayo is about 40% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bulawayo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 43% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ZWL 122

$11.87 MX$204

-61.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.96 ZWL 802

$42.90 MX$736

-30.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ZWL 150

$10.65 MX$183

-47.51%

Cappuccino

$2.33 ZWL 62.3

$3.45 MX$59.2

-32.46%

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

$0.52 ZWL 13.86

$1.50 MX$25.81

-65.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ZWL 10.74

$0.95 MX$16.28

-57.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 ZWL 45.48

$3.03 MX$51.9

-43.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 ZWL 65.6

$4.61 MX$79.1

-46.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ZWL 41.54

$1.38 MX$23.61

12.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ZWL 26.83

$1.85 MX$31.70

-45.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ZWL 48.08

$1.61 MX$27.65

11.80%

Eggs

$1.73 ZWL 46.23

$2.59 MX$44.51

-33.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.40 ZWL 278

$8.26 MX$142

25.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.97 ZWL 106

$8.37 MX$144

-52.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.44 ZWL 119

$10.66 MX$183

-58.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 ZWL 40.54

$2.63 MX$45.12

-42.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ZWL 40.72

$1.49 MX$25.53

2.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ZWL 62.2

$1.92 MX$32.94

20.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 ZWL 29.14

$2.09 MX$35.81

-47.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ZWL 32.15

$1.86 MX$31.88

-35.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 ZWL 37.58

$2.26 MX$38.81

-38.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ZWL 27.08

$1.06 MX$18.23

-4.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ZWL 26.94

$1.09 MX$18.67

-7.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.52 ZWL 40.62

$4.15 MX$71.2

-63.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.11 ZWL 137

$10.39 MX$178

-50.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ZWL 41.35

$1.72 MX$29.59

-10.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ZWL 56.7

$2.61 MX$44.85

-18.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ZWL 13.08

$0.54 MX$9.30

-9.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ZWL 788

$26.94 MX$462

9.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 ZWL 79.4

$3.13 MX$53.7

-5.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 ZWL 60.9

$2.51 MX$43.09

-9.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 ZWL 135

$3.15 MX$54.1

60.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 ZWL 45.24

$1.27 MX$21.88

33.07%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$70.3 ZWL 1,880

$83.0 MX$1,425

-15.36%

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

$18.25 ZWL 488

$22.71 MX$390

-19.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$134 ZWL 3,579

$29.46 MX$506

353.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.90 ZWL 667

$51.0 MX$875

-51.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 ZWL 266

$4.93 MX$84.5

101.42%

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

$139 ZWL 3,728

$197 MX$3,386

-29.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.94 ZWL 587

$36.90 MX$633

-40.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.26 ZWL 355

$39.89 MX$685

-66.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 ZWL 1,853

$80.0 MX$1,373

-13.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 ZWL 1,488

$89.5 MX$1,536

-37.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$186 ZWL 4,981

$956 MX$16.4K

-80.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 ZWL 3,000

$477 MX$8,189

-76.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 ZWL 12.7K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-71.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ZWL 11.0K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-66.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,131 ZWL 57.0K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-45.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,044 ZWL 54.7K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-68.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$296 ZWL 7,914

$667 MX$11.4K

-55.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Bulawayo: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $186 in Bulawayo versus $956 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 126% 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 $30.00 in Bulawayo versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $180 vs $250 – making Bulawayo 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 65%, 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 $1,152 per month in Bulawayo and $1,906 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 Bulawayo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $768 in Bulawayo and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 9% less in Bulawayo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bulawayo, where all-in costs run around $768, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Bulawayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bulawayo – 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 Bulawayo. 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.