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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $598 per month in Masvingo vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $987 per month in Masvingo vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,376 per month in Masvingo vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Masvingo is about 53% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.03 ZWL 267

$11.60 MX$200

-13.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.92 ZWL 1,064

$47.11 MX$811

-15.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.88 ZWL 157

$11.88 MX$205

-50.51%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ZWL 80.8

$3.98 MX$68.5

-23.87%

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

$0.98 ZWL 26.22

$1.43 MX$24.58

-31.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ZWL 14.00

$0.82 MX$14.20

-35.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 ZWL 39.66

$3.19 MX$54.9

-53.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ZWL 52.3

$6.79 MX$117

-71.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ZWL 42.25

$1.68 MX$28.86

-5.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ZWL 27.53

$2.20 MX$37.84

-53.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ZWL 45.03

$1.71 MX$29.42

-1.17%

Eggs

$1.93 ZWL 51.5

$2.74 MX$47.21

-29.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 ZWL 317

$9.58 MX$165

24.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.70 ZWL 152

$9.01 MX$155

-36.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.60 ZWL 176

$12.81 MX$221

-48.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 ZWL 80.4

$2.89 MX$49.75

4.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ZWL 43.12

$1.50 MX$25.79

8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ZWL 52.7

$2.15 MX$37.00

-7.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ZWL 41.11

$2.26 MX$38.92

-31.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 ZWL 45.88

$1.98 MX$34.11

-13.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 ZWL 48.12

$1.99 MX$34.27

-9.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ZWL 31.03

$1.23 MX$21.26

-5.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ZWL 27.67

$1.20 MX$20.61

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.05 ZWL 54.6

$4.55 MX$78.4

-54.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.76 ZWL 234

$10.37 MX$179

-15.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ZWL 37.39

$1.62 MX$27.88

-13.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ZWL 53.6

$2.88 MX$49.61

-30.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ZWL 105

$5.39 MX$92.8

-27.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 ZWL 52.5

$3.73 MX$64.2

-47.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 ZWL 136

$5.77 MX$99.4

-11.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 ZWL 49.57

$1.54 MX$26.46

20.78%

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

$21.7K ZWL 577.4K

$22.5K MX$388.4K

-3.91%

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

$27.3K ZWL 727.4K

$26.1K MX$448.8K

4.74%

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

$53.8 ZWL 1,433

$91.4 MX$1,574

-41.16%

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

$21.55 ZWL 574

$25.20 MX$434

-14.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 ZWL 1,762

$31.24 MX$538

111.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,158

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$9.97 ZWL 266

$4.86 MX$83.8

105.14%

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

$466 ZWL 12.4K

$224 MX$3,852

108.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,100 ZWL 242.5K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

115.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.67 ZWL 657

$47.10 MX$811

-47.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.57 ZWL 575

$44.29 MX$763

-51.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.25 ZWL 1,046

$80.1 MX$1,380

-51.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.16 ZWL 1,097

$92.7 MX$1,596

-55.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,721

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 %)

13.69

11.45

19.56%

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

Last update for Masvingo: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Masvingo versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $276 – making Masvingo 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $598 in Masvingo, $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 112% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $897 per month in Masvingo 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 $598 in Masvingo 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 $466 per month in Masvingo 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 Masvingo, where all-in costs run around $598, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Masvingo 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 $598 in Masvingo to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Masvingo. 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.