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 $808 per month in Cape Coast vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,315 per month in Cape Coast vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,823 per month in Cape Coast vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Cape Coast is about 36% 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 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 GHS 50.1

$11.99 MX$210

-63.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.00 GHS 543

$41.78 MX$733

12.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.90 GHS 91.3

$10.75 MX$189

-26.51%

Cappuccino

$3.45 GHS 39.84

$3.50 MX$61.3

-1.43%

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

$0.99 GHS 11.42

$1.45 MX$25.41

-31.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 GHS 4.28

$0.88 MX$15.52

-57.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 GHS 17.44

$2.95 MX$51.7

-48.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 GHS 29.34

$4.51 MX$79.1

-43.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.37 GHS 38.87

$1.43 MX$25.12

135.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 GHS 16.74

$1.84 MX$32.23

-21.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 GHS 27.09

$1.57 MX$27.51

49.68%

Eggs

$2.26 GHS 26.12

$2.51 MX$44.06

-9.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.32 GHS 131

$8.28 MX$145

36.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 GHS 52.6

$8.43 MX$148

-46.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.98 GHS 69.1

$10.68 MX$187

-44.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 GHS 34.06

$2.61 MX$45.76

13.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 GHS 16.19

$1.44 MX$25.22

-2.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 GHS 19.47

$1.96 MX$34.41

-13.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.13 GHS 36.17

$2.09 MX$36.74

49.76%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 GHS 34.68

$1.85 MX$32.47

62.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 GHS 27.13

$2.17 MX$38.02

8.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 GHS 9.16

$1.03 MX$18.09

-23.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 GHS 5.99

$1.07 MX$18.84

-51.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.65 GHS 19.00

$4.10 MX$72.0

-59.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.37 GHS 85.2

$10.17 MX$178

-27.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 GHS 13.29

$1.68 MX$29.38

-31.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 GHS 22.41

$2.53 MX$44.31

-23.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 GHS 18.72

$3.23 MX$56.7

-49.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 GHS 13.35

$2.41 MX$42.19

-51.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 GHS 64.9

$3.23 MX$56.6

73.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 GHS 12.47

$1.32 MX$23.17

-18.18%

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

$7,869 GHS 90.9K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-73.50%

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

$9,553 GHS 110.3K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-59.63%

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

$54.6 GHS 630

$82.0 MX$1,439

-33.47%

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

$13.10 GHS 151

$22.95 MX$403

-42.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.30 GHS 431

$30.11 MX$528

23.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$9.61 GHS 111

$4.98 MX$87.3

92.97%

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

$73.4 GHS 847

$197 MX$3,463

-62.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,042 GHS 92.9K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

50.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.85 GHS 172

$35.60 MX$624

-58.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.52 GHS 214

$40.33 MX$707

-54.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$28.94 GHS 334

$78.8 MX$1,381

-63.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.61 GHS 469

$88.9 MX$1,560

-54.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$704 GHS 8,127

$947 MX$16.6K

-25.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 GHS 2,955

$474 MX$8,314

-46.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,437 GHS 16.6K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-12.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 GHS 6,374

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-54.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $704 in Cape Coast versus $947 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 $47.00 in Cape Coast versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $234 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 56%, 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 $1,212 per month in Cape Coast and $1,884 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 $808 in Cape Coast and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $73.4 per month in Cape Coast and $197 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 $808, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.