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 $680 per month in Elmina vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,160 per month in Elmina vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,640 per month in Elmina vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Elmina is about 47% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Elmina and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Elmina 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.14 GHS 92.0

$11.71 MX$198

-30.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.4 GHS 604

$46.59 MX$788

14.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 GHS 122

$11.65 MX$197

-7.21%

Cappuccino

$4.72 GHS 53.3

$4.09 MX$69.2

15.40%

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

$1.65 GHS 18.66

$1.37 MX$23.23

20.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 GHS 5.48

$0.83 MX$14.09

-40.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 GHS 21.01

$3.35 MX$56.7

-44.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 GHS 25.65

$6.91 MX$117

-67.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.81 GHS 43.11

$1.73 MX$29.20

120.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 GHS 20.34

$2.26 MX$38.21

-20.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 GHS 35.48

$1.77 MX$29.91

77.40%

Eggs

$2.71 GHS 30.61

$2.73 MX$46.19

-0.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.56 GHS 142

$9.18 MX$155

36.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.49 GHS 84.6

$8.92 MX$151

-16.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.26 GHS 116

$12.60 MX$213

-18.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 GHS 42.55

$3.02 MX$51.1

24.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 GHS 16.63

$1.57 MX$26.55

-6.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 GHS 21.06

$2.13 MX$35.93

-12.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 GHS 42.42

$2.26 MX$38.28

65.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 GHS 31.80

$2.00 MX$33.88

40.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 GHS 30.84

$2.06 MX$34.90

32.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 GHS 8.78

$1.18 MX$19.94

-33.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 GHS 6.95

$1.20 MX$20.35

-48.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.59 GHS 29.23

$4.63 MX$78.4

-44.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.16 GHS 80.9

$10.69 MX$181

-33.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 GHS 14.93

$1.62 MX$27.38

-18.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 GHS 27.75

$2.88 MX$48.70

-14.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 GHS 19.53

$5.45 MX$92.1

-68.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 GHS 14.59

$3.70 MX$62.6

-65.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 GHS 49.50

$5.98 MX$101

-26.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 GHS 15.73

$1.55 MX$26.26

-10.32%

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

$8,005 GHS 90.5K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

-64.15%

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

$10.3K GHS 116.0K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

-60.44%

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

$74.0 GHS 836

$89.1 MX$1,507

-17.03%

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

$19.52 GHS 221

$25.04 MX$423

-22.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.23 GHS 489

$31.50 MX$532

37.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$13.10 GHS 148

$5.05 MX$85.4

159.41%

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

$468 GHS 5,294

$225 MX$3,803

108.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K GHS 208.8K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

337.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.64 GHS 165

$47.44 MX$802

-69.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.45 GHS 220

$44.98 MX$760

-56.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.21 GHS 420

$82.0 MX$1,386

-54.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 GHS 621

$92.1 MX$1,557

-40.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

26.75

11.45

133.62%

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

Last update for Elmina: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Elmina versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $277 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 90%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,021 per month in Elmina and $1,940 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 $53.0 in Elmina and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elmina, where all-in costs run around $680, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.