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 $784 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,259 per month in Bulawayo vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,734 per month in Bulawayo vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Bulawayo is about 38% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bulawayo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 41% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ZWL 117

$11.72 MX$204

-62.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.52 ZWL 789

$41.89 MX$731

-29.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.34 ZWL 143

$10.51 MX$183

-49.19%

Cappuccino

$2.32 ZWL 62.0

$3.59 MX$62.5

-35.38%

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.88

$1.51 MX$26.31

-68.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 11.49

$0.92 MX$15.96

-53.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ZWL 48.01

$2.96 MX$51.6

-39.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ZWL 66.0

$4.41 MX$76.9

-43.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ZWL 41.80

$1.40 MX$24.35

11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ZWL 26.81

$1.88 MX$32.87

-46.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 ZWL 47.60

$1.56 MX$27.19

14.10%

Eggs

$1.75 ZWL 46.85

$2.61 MX$45.50

-32.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 ZWL 279

$8.32 MX$145

25.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 ZWL 103

$8.35 MX$146

-54.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.42 ZWL 118

$10.86 MX$189

-59.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 ZWL 39.11

$2.71 MX$47.31

-46.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ZWL 39.32

$1.51 MX$26.25

-2.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 ZWL 59.6

$1.87 MX$32.67

19.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ZWL 29.90

$2.19 MX$38.19

-48.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 ZWL 30.70

$1.86 MX$32.40

-38.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ZWL 36.29

$2.23 MX$38.90

-39.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ZWL 26.06

$1.07 MX$18.63

-8.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ZWL 26.93

$1.09 MX$18.94

-7.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.54 ZWL 41.02

$4.19 MX$73.0

-63.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.07 ZWL 135

$10.43 MX$182

-51.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 ZWL 41.00

$1.66 MX$28.91

-7.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ZWL 58.5

$2.61 MX$45.56

-16.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ZWL 13.68

$0.54 MX$9.45

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.34 ZWL 811

$26.16 MX$456

15.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 ZWL 82.2

$3.08 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 ZWL 59.5

$2.40 MX$41.94

-7.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.96 ZWL 133

$3.13 MX$54.5

58.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 ZWL 44.42

$1.31 MX$22.87

26.72%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

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

$72.5 ZWL 1,936

$81.3 MX$1,418

-10.85%

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

$18.00 ZWL 481

$22.56 MX$393

-20.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$135 ZWL 3,618

$30.05 MX$524

350.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.96 ZWL 667

$52.9 MX$923

-52.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$10.17 ZWL 272

$4.92 MX$85.8

106.71%

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

$140 ZWL 3,734

$201 MX$3,502

-30.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.40 ZWL 572

$35.92 MX$627

-40.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.10 ZWL 350

$40.13 MX$700

-67.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 ZWL 1,862

$79.7 MX$1,390

-12.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.3 ZWL 1,478

$86.5 MX$1,508

-36.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$183 ZWL 4,881

$978 MX$17.1K

-81.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZWL 2,904

$470 MX$8,206

-76.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 ZWL 12.6K

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-71.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$420 ZWL 11.2K

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-65.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,089 ZWL 55.8K

$3,953 MX$69.0K

-47.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,041 ZWL 54.5K

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-69.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$294 ZWL 7,865

$677 MX$11.8K

-56.50%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $183 in Bulawayo versus $978 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 130% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $252 – 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 61%, 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 $1,176 per month in Bulawayo and $1,890 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 $784 in Bulawayo and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 16% 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 $784, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.