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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $836 in Gaborone versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,311 in Gaborone versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,786 in Gaborone versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Gaborone costs roughly 36% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gaborone 38% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 P 96.2

$11.73 MX$203

-37.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.91 P 392

$41.62 MX$721

-28.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.92 P 77.7

$10.64 MX$184

-44.36%

Cappuccino

$2.25 P 29.45

$3.52 MX$61.0

-36.08%

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

$0.89 P 11.70

$1.51 MX$26.17

-41.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 P 6.65

$0.97 MX$16.87

-47.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 P 28.68

$2.95 MX$51.1

-25.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 P 39.29

$4.45 MX$77.2

-32.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 P 18.34

$1.38 MX$23.97

1.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 P 11.32

$1.89 MX$32.78

-54.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 P 22.86

$1.64 MX$28.37

6.10%

Eggs

$2.28 P 29.97

$2.51 MX$43.42

-9.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.64 P 100

$8.34 MX$145

-8.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 P 65.4

$8.34 MX$145

-40.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.47 P 71.8

$10.73 MX$186

-49.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 P 24.02

$2.60 MX$45.12

-29.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 P 18.01

$1.46 MX$25.25

-6.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 P 24.19

$1.90 MX$32.94

-3.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 P 20.57

$2.08 MX$35.98

-24.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 P 18.65

$1.78 MX$30.77

-20.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 P 15.70

$2.19 MX$37.87

-45.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 P 15.37

$1.04 MX$18.02

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 P 12.04

$1.08 MX$18.66

-14.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.65 P 47.87

$4.08 MX$70.7

-10.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.24 P 55.7

$10.32 MX$179

-58.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 P 20.94

$1.71 MX$29.67

-6.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 P 27.39

$2.58 MX$44.63

-18.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 P 6.99

$0.51 MX$8.83

3.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.23 P 397

$26.46 MX$459

14.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 P 7.60

$3.26 MX$56.5

-82.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.72 P 35.73

$2.49 MX$43.17

9.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 P 38.59

$3.25 MX$56.3

-9.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 P 14.94

$1.31 MX$22.65

-12.98%

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

$22.7K P 297.2K

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-25.18%

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

$17.1K P 223.8K

$23.4K MX$406.0K

-27.17%

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

$70.9 P 931

$82.9 MX$1,436

-14.41%

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

$25.80 P 338

$22.22 MX$385

16.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.3 P 1,027

$29.34 MX$508

166.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.13 P 435

$51.6 MX$895

-35.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.22 P 200

$18.32 MX$317

-16.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 P 86.9

$5.07 MX$87.8

30.57%

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

$185 P 2,427

$201 MX$3,480

-7.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,837 P 50.3K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

-26.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.61 P 546

$36.92 MX$640

12.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.02 P 315

$39.79 MX$689

-39.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 P 982

$78.5 MX$1,360

-4.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.5 P 1,292

$87.1 MX$1,509

13.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 P 3,199

$973 MX$16.9K

-74.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$144 P 1,882

$468 MX$8,105

-69.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 P 6,955

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-67.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 P 4,425

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-72.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,011 P 26.4K

$3,946 MX$68.4K

-49.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,299 P 17.0K

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-80.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$452 P 5,928

$664 MX$11.5K

-31.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.12

11.42

-20.14%

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

Last update for Gaborone: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $244 in Gaborone and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 47% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $30.00 in Gaborone vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $249 per month, with Gaborone cheaper across the board.

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

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

Gaborone is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 47% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $244 in Gaborone versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Gaborone – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $836 in Gaborone versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gaborone but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Gaborone the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Gaborone is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Gaborone and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Gaborone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.