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 $747 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,184 per month in Bulawayo vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,620 per month in Bulawayo vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Bulawayo is about 43% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bulawayo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 46% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 ZWL 118

$11.96 MX$203

-63.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.78 ZWL 794

$47.38 MX$804

-37.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 ZWL 130

$11.75 MX$199

-58.38%

Cappuccino

$2.15 ZWL 57.4

$4.12 MX$70.0

-47.82%

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.66

$1.40 MX$23.74

-65.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ZWL 10.59

$0.91 MX$15.48

-56.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ZWL 39.48

$3.21 MX$54.4

-53.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ZWL 54.1

$7.07 MX$120

-71.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ZWL 42.42

$1.68 MX$28.44

-5.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.05

$2.15 MX$36.48

-52.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ZWL 40.76

$1.77 MX$30.10

-13.56%

Eggs

$1.89 ZWL 50.3

$2.82 MX$47.76

-32.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.46 ZWL 252

$9.20 MX$156

2.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.99 ZWL 106

$9.23 MX$157

-56.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.46 ZWL 119

$12.64 MX$214

-64.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 ZWL 49.31

$2.95 MX$50.1

-37.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZWL 42.76

$1.58 MX$26.79

1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ZWL 66.2

$2.22 MX$37.70

11.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 ZWL 26.70

$2.36 MX$40.09

-57.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 ZWL 32.36

$1.99 MX$33.81

-39.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ZWL 38.33

$1.98 MX$33.58

-27.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ZWL 29.32

$1.24 MX$21.04

-11.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ZWL 21.13

$1.21 MX$20.55

-34.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.46 ZWL 38.85

$4.60 MX$78.1

-68.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.14 ZWL 137

$10.52 MX$178

-51.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ZWL 37.30

$1.69 MX$28.70

-17.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ZWL 51.1

$2.77 MX$47.06

-30.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 ZWL 19.49

$0.60 MX$10.22

21.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.64 ZWL 790

$29.70 MX$504

-0.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ZWL 81.1

$5.24 MX$88.8

-41.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 ZWL 54.0

$3.65 MX$61.9

-44.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 ZWL 130

$5.78 MX$98.1

-15.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 ZWL 43.34

$1.54 MX$26.09

5.84%

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

$25.0K ZWL 667.5K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

9.84%

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

$24.5K ZWL 653.1K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-5.06%

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

$96.4 ZWL 2,569

$90.7 MX$1,538

6.33%

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

$17.81 ZWL 475

$25.19 MX$427

-29.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$110 ZWL 2,922

$31.75 MX$539

245.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.91 ZWL 824

$68.8 MX$1,167

-55.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.91 ZWL 531

$29.37 MX$498

-32.21%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 ZWL 264

$4.86 MX$82.5

104.12%

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

$231 ZWL 6,168

$226 MX$3,828

2.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,519 ZWL 93.8K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

-16.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.48 ZWL 572

$47.38 MX$804

-54.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.53 ZWL 307

$43.45 MX$737

-73.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.41 ZWL 1,210

$80.2 MX$1,361

-43.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.1 ZWL 1,549

$91.4 MX$1,550

-36.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 ZWL 4,646

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-83.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZWL 2,915

$409 MX$6,933

-73.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$404 ZWL 10.8K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-79.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 ZWL 8,514

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-75.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,069 ZWL 55.1K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-48.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,009 ZWL 53.5K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-70.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 ZWL 8,045

$773 MX$13.1K

-60.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

31.00%

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

Last update for Bulawayo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $174 in Bulawayo versus $1,086 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 156% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $278 – 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 75%, 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 $1,121 per month in Bulawayo and $1,958 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 $747 in Bulawayo and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 0% 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 $747, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.