Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Coast and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Coast and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $801 per month in Cape Coast vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,315 per month in Cape Coast vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,829 per month in Cape Coast vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Both Cape Coast and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Cape Coast 40% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 GHS 52.0

$11.73 MX$203

-62.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.03 GHS 564

$41.62 MX$720

15.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 GHS 93.4

$10.64 MX$184

-25.28%

Cappuccino

$3.43 GHS 40.28

$3.52 MX$60.9

-2.56%

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

$0.93 GHS 10.93

$1.51 MX$26.12

-38.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 GHS 4.38

$0.97 MX$16.84

-61.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 GHS 18.61

$2.95 MX$51.0

-46.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 GHS 28.79

$4.45 MX$77.0

-44.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.48 GHS 40.80

$1.38 MX$23.93

152.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 GHS 17.52

$1.89 MX$32.72

-21.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 GHS 27.63

$1.64 MX$28.32

43.29%

Eggs

$2.29 GHS 26.84

$2.51 MX$43.34

-8.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.26 GHS 132

$8.34 MX$144

35.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 GHS 54.1

$8.34 MX$144

-44.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.01 GHS 70.6

$10.73 MX$186

-43.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 GHS 34.27

$2.60 MX$45.04

12.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 GHS 16.32

$1.46 MX$25.20

-4.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 GHS 20.04

$1.90 MX$32.87

-10.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 GHS 37.41

$2.08 MX$35.91

53.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 GHS 36.87

$1.78 MX$30.71

76.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 GHS 27.22

$2.19 MX$37.80

5.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 GHS 8.94

$1.04 MX$17.99

-26.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 GHS 5.71

$1.08 MX$18.62

-54.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.66 GHS 19.44

$4.08 MX$70.6

-59.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.06 GHS 82.9

$10.32 MX$178

-31.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 GHS 13.22

$1.71 MX$29.61

-33.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 GHS 22.28

$2.58 MX$44.54

-26.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 GHS 18.26

$3.26 MX$56.4

-52.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 GHS 13.74

$2.49 MX$43.09

-53.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.63 GHS 66.1

$3.25 MX$56.2

73.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 GHS 13.08

$1.31 MX$22.61

-15.27%

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

$8,141 GHS 95.6K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-73.12%

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

$9,796 GHS 115.0K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-58.19%

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

$55.8 GHS 655

$82.9 MX$1,433

-32.70%

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

$13.40 GHS 157

$22.22 MX$384

-39.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.90 GHS 445

$29.34 MX$507

29.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$9.88 GHS 116

$5.07 MX$87.6

94.87%

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

$73.0 GHS 858

$201 MX$3,473

-63.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,176 GHS 96.0K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

56.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.92 GHS 175

$36.92 MX$639

-59.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.60 GHS 218

$39.79 MX$688

-53.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.54 GHS 347

$78.5 MX$1,357

-62.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.13 GHS 483

$87.1 MX$1,506

-52.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$696 GHS 8,166

$973 MX$16.8K

-28.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 GHS 3,057

$468 MX$8,090

-44.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,404 GHS 16.5K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-14.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 GHS 6,507

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-54.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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 Cape Coast: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $696 in Cape Coast 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Cape Coast versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Cape Coast vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Cape Coast 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 62%, 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 $1,201 per month in Cape Coast 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 Cape Coast, 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 $801 in Cape Coast and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $73.0 per month in Cape Coast 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 Cape Coast, where all-in costs run around $801, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Cape Coast it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cape Coast – 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 Cape Coast. 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.