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 $605 per month in Kafue vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $953 per month in Kafue vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,302 per month in Kafue vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kafue is about 52% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kafue and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Kafue 56% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.73 ZMW 112

$11.60 MX$200

-50.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.86 ZMW 605

$47.11 MX$811

-34.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 ZMW 101

$11.88 MX$205

-56.57%

Cappuccino

$2.85 ZMW 55.9

$3.98 MX$68.5

-28.39%

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

$0.75 ZMW 14.63

$1.43 MX$24.57

-47.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ZMW 9.81

$0.82 MX$14.20

-39.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 ZMW 25.08

$3.19 MX$54.9

-59.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ZMW 45.11

$6.79 MX$117

-66.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ZMW 35.96

$1.68 MX$28.85

8.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ZMW 24.71

$2.20 MX$37.83

-42.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 ZMW 41.74

$1.71 MX$29.41

24.56%

Eggs

$1.97 ZMW 38.63

$2.74 MX$47.20

-28.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.78 ZMW 211

$9.58 MX$165

12.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.75 ZMW 132

$9.01 MX$155

-25.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.72 ZMW 132

$12.81 MX$221

-47.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ZMW 69.9

$2.89 MX$49.74

23.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 ZMW 50.0

$1.50 MX$25.78

70.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 ZMW 74.4

$2.15 MX$36.98

76.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ZMW 30.63

$2.26 MX$38.91

-30.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 ZMW 51.0

$1.98 MX$34.10

31.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 ZMW 38.05

$1.99 MX$34.26

-2.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 ZMW 23.59

$1.23 MX$21.25

-2.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ZMW 15.88

$1.20 MX$20.60

-32.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 ZMW 62.5

$4.55 MX$78.3

-29.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 ZMW 208

$10.37 MX$179

2.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ZMW 29.83

$1.62 MX$27.88

-6.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ZMW 45.90

$2.88 MX$49.60

-18.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 ZMW 50.8

$5.39 MX$92.8

-51.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 ZMW 31.67

$3.73 MX$64.2

-56.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 ZMW 100

$5.77 MX$99.3

-11.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 ZMW 31.55

$1.54 MX$26.45

4.55%

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

$7,734 ZMW 151.6K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

-65.70%

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

$27.2K ZMW 532.7K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

4.31%

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

$82.0 ZMW 1,607

$91.4 MX$1,573

-10.29%

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

$10.99 ZMW 215

$25.20 MX$434

-56.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 ZMW 1,127

$31.24 MX$538

84.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 ZMW 125

$4.86 MX$83.7

31.28%

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

$146 ZMW 2,868

$224 MX$3,851

-34.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K ZMW 328.3K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

296.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.80 ZMW 466

$47.10 MX$811

-49.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.75 ZMW 309

$44.29 MX$763

-64.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.80 ZMW 917

$80.1 MX$1,379

-41.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.4 ZMW 1,458

$92.7 MX$1,596

-19.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

153.28%

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

Last update for Kafue: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Kafue versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $276 – 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: $605 in Kafue, $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 109% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $907 per month in Kafue and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $605 in Kafue and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $146 per month in Kafue and $224 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kafue, where all-in costs run around $605, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $605 in Kafue to $1,266 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.