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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $708 per month in Kafue vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,061 per month in Kafue vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,414 per month in Kafue vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kafue is about 44% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Kafue and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Kafue 47% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 ZMW 137

$11.72 MX$203

-37.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.17 ZMW 469

$41.89 MX$725

-39.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 ZMW 67.7

$10.51 MX$182

-65.46%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ZMW 35.83

$3.59 MX$62.0

-46.52%

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

$0.67 ZMW 12.53

$1.51 MX$26.10

-55.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ZMW 6.23

$0.92 MX$15.83

-64.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 ZMW 16.22

$2.96 MX$51.2

-70.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ZMW 33.84

$4.41 MX$76.3

-58.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ZMW 24.90

$1.40 MX$24.16

-5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 ZMW 14.04

$1.88 MX$32.60

-60.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 ZMW 29.83

$1.56 MX$26.97

2.56%

Eggs

$1.85 ZMW 34.45

$2.61 MX$45.14

-29.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 ZMW 142

$8.32 MX$144

-8.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.80 ZMW 70.8

$8.35 MX$145

-54.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.65 ZMW 86.7

$10.86 MX$188

-57.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 ZMW 46.19

$2.71 MX$46.93

-8.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 30.82

$1.51 MX$26.04

9.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 ZMW 51.3

$1.87 MX$32.41

47.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ZMW 21.54

$2.19 MX$37.89

-47.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 ZMW 34.88

$1.86 MX$32.14

0.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ZMW 24.71

$2.23 MX$38.59

-40.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ZMW 17.18

$1.07 MX$18.48

-14.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.62

$1.09 MX$18.79

-52.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 ZMW 47.40

$4.19 MX$72.4

-39.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.77 ZMW 201

$10.43 MX$180

3.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ZMW 20.96

$1.66 MX$28.68

-32.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ZMW 28.24

$2.61 MX$45.19

-42.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 ZMW 30.61

$0.54 MX$9.37

203.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.63 ZMW 870

$26.16 MX$453

78.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ZMW 50.1

$3.08 MX$53.3

-12.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.29 ZMW 173

$3.13 MX$54.1

196.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ZMW 22.33

$1.31 MX$22.69

-8.40%

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

$7,897 ZMW 147.3K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-73.50%

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

$28.4K ZMW 528.8K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

21.57%

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

$90.2 ZMW 1,681

$81.3 MX$1,406

10.91%

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

$52.3 ZMW 976

$22.56 MX$390

132.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$125 ZMW 2,336

$30.05 MX$520

316.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.23 ZMW 78.9

$4.92 MX$85.1

-14.02%

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

$174 ZMW 3,245

$201 MX$3,474

-13.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,500 ZMW 177.2K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

83.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.76 ZMW 350

$35.92 MX$622

-47.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.29 ZMW 323

$40.13 MX$694

-56.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 ZMW 1,554

$79.7 MX$1,379

4.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.1 ZMW 1,344

$86.5 MX$1,496

-16.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

118.91%

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

Last update for Kafue: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Kafue versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $178 vs $252 – making Kafue 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $708 in Kafue, $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 78% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,061 per month in Kafue and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $174 per month in Kafue and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kafue, where all-in costs run around $708, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Kafue it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $708 in Kafue to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Kafue. 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.