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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $526 per month in Elmina vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $905 per month in Elmina vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,284 per month in Elmina vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Elmina is about 58% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Elmina and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Elmina 61% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 GHS 51.4

$11.99 MX$210

-62.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.28 GHS 558

$41.78 MX$733

15.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 GHS 90.0

$10.75 MX$189

-27.53%

Cappuccino

$3.54 GHS 40.94

$3.50 MX$61.3

1.14%

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

$0.92 GHS 10.68

$1.45 MX$25.41

-36.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 GHS 3.96

$0.88 MX$15.52

-61.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 GHS 18.20

$2.95 MX$51.7

-46.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 GHS 28.60

$4.51 MX$79.1

-45.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.47 GHS 40.09

$1.43 MX$25.12

142.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 GHS 16.80

$1.84 MX$32.23

-21.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 GHS 27.33

$1.57 MX$27.51

50.96%

Eggs

$2.40 GHS 27.70

$2.51 MX$44.06

-4.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 GHS 128

$8.28 MX$145

33.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.54 GHS 52.4

$8.43 MX$148

-46.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.82 GHS 67.2

$10.68 MX$187

-45.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 GHS 33.62

$2.61 MX$45.76

11.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 GHS 16.13

$1.44 MX$25.22

-2.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 GHS 19.69

$1.96 MX$34.41

-12.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.21 GHS 37.02

$2.09 MX$36.74

53.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 GHS 34.64

$1.85 MX$32.47

62.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 GHS 28.15

$2.17 MX$38.02

12.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 GHS 8.69

$1.03 MX$18.09

-27.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 GHS 5.61

$1.07 MX$18.84

-54.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.65 GHS 19.05

$4.10 MX$72.0

-59.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 GHS 85.8

$10.17 MX$178

-27.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 GHS 12.85

$1.68 MX$29.38

-33.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 GHS 22.64

$2.53 MX$44.31

-22.53%

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 18.65

$3.23 MX$56.7

-49.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 GHS 13.54

$2.41 MX$42.19

-51.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.48 GHS 63.2

$3.23 MX$56.6

69.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 GHS 12.59

$1.32 MX$23.17

-17.42%

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

$8,156 GHS 94.2K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-72.53%

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

$9,546 GHS 110.3K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-59.66%

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

$56.5 GHS 652

$82.0 MX$1,439

-31.17%

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

$13.33 GHS 154

$22.95 MX$403

-41.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.32 GHS 443

$30.11 MX$528

27.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 GHS 115

$4.98 MX$87.3

99.20%

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

$71.4 GHS 825

$197 MX$3,463

-63.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,919 GHS 91.5K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

48.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.66 GHS 169

$35.60 MX$624

-58.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.23 GHS 222

$40.33 MX$707

-52.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$28.80 GHS 333

$78.8 MX$1,381

-63.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.81 GHS 483

$88.9 MX$1,560

-52.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

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 Elmina: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Elmina versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Elmina vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Elmina 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 139%, 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 $789 per month in Elmina and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Elmina and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elmina, where all-in costs run around $526, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Elmina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elmina – 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 Elmina. 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.