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 $532 per month in Elmina vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $903 per month in Elmina vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,274 per month in Elmina vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Elmina is about 59% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Elmina and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Elmina 60% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.31 GHS 50.7

$11.73 MX$203

-63.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.20 GHS 554

$41.62 MX$720

13.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 GHS 92.9

$10.64 MX$184

-25.66%

Cappuccino

$3.49 GHS 40.97

$3.52 MX$60.9

-0.85%

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

$0.93 GHS 10.87

$1.51 MX$26.12

-38.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 GHS 4.05

$0.97 MX$16.84

-64.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 GHS 18.37

$2.95 MX$51.0

-47.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 GHS 30.01

$4.45 MX$77.0

-42.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.45 GHS 40.52

$1.38 MX$23.93

150.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 GHS 16.81

$1.89 MX$32.72

-24.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 GHS 27.59

$1.64 MX$28.32

43.29%

Eggs

$2.30 GHS 26.98

$2.51 MX$43.34

-8.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.32 GHS 133

$8.34 MX$144

35.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.79 GHS 56.2

$8.34 MX$144

-42.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.00 GHS 70.5

$10.73 MX$186

-44.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 GHS 33.93

$2.60 MX$45.04

11.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 GHS 16.81

$1.46 MX$25.20

-2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 GHS 19.83

$1.90 MX$32.87

-11.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 GHS 37.48

$2.08 MX$35.91

53.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.10 GHS 36.34

$1.78 MX$30.71

74.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 GHS 28.55

$2.19 MX$37.80

10.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 GHS 9.00

$1.04 MX$17.99

-25.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 GHS 6.03

$1.08 MX$18.62

-52.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.59 GHS 18.62

$4.08 MX$70.6

-61.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.05 GHS 82.8

$10.32 MX$178

-31.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 GHS 13.16

$1.71 MX$29.61

-34.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 GHS 22.68

$2.58 MX$44.54

-25.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 GHS 18.18

$3.26 MX$56.4

-52.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 GHS 14.18

$2.49 MX$43.09

-51.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 GHS 63.3

$3.25 MX$56.2

66.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 GHS 12.59

$1.31 MX$22.61

-18.32%

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

$7,843 GHS 92.1K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-74.10%

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

$9,458 GHS 111.0K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-59.63%

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

$54.7 GHS 642

$82.9 MX$1,433

-34.05%

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

$13.44 GHS 158

$22.22 MX$384

-39.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.50 GHS 440

$29.34 MX$507

27.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$9.70 GHS 114

$5.07 MX$87.6

91.32%

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

$73.4 GHS 861

$201 MX$3,473

-63.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,040 GHS 94.4K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

54.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.53 GHS 171

$36.92 MX$639

-60.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.52 GHS 217

$39.79 MX$688

-53.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.62 GHS 348

$78.5 MX$1,357

-62.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.75 GHS 478

$87.1 MX$1,506

-53.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

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 Elmina: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Elmina versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $236 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 144%, 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 $798 per month in Elmina and $1,945 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 $47.00 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 $532, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.