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 $619 per month in Masvingo vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,111 per month in Masvingo vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,604 per month in Masvingo vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Masvingo is about 51% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Masvingo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Masvingo 54% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.86 ZWL 263

$11.72 MX$203

-15.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 ZWL 1,358

$41.89 MX$725

21.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 ZWL 189

$10.51 MX$182

-32.54%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ZWL 79.5

$3.59 MX$62.0

-16.99%

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

$0.71 ZWL 18.94

$1.51 MX$26.10

-52.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ZWL 12.32

$0.92 MX$15.83

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ZWL 38.90

$2.96 MX$51.2

-50.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ZWL 54.0

$4.41 MX$76.3

-54.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ZWL 41.56

$1.40 MX$24.16

11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.19

$1.88 MX$32.60

-45.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 ZWL 52.1

$1.56 MX$26.97

25.00%

Eggs

$2.07 ZWL 55.1

$2.61 MX$45.14

-20.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 ZWL 295

$8.32 MX$144

32.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 ZWL 174

$8.35 MX$145

-21.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.58 ZWL 176

$10.86 MX$188

-39.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 ZWL 76.6

$2.71 MX$46.93

5.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 43.76

$1.51 MX$26.04

8.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ZWL 60.6

$1.87 MX$32.41

21.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 ZWL 45.42

$2.19 MX$37.89

-22.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ZWL 41.68

$1.86 MX$32.14

-16.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 ZWL 52.8

$2.23 MX$38.59

-11.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ZWL 27.20

$1.07 MX$18.48

-4.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ZWL 25.84

$1.09 MX$18.79

-11.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.09 ZWL 28.96

$4.19 MX$72.4

-73.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.77 ZWL 261

$10.43 MX$180

-6.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ZWL 30.11

$1.66 MX$28.68

-31.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ZWL 46.39

$2.61 MX$45.19

-33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 ZWL 130

$3.08 MX$53.3

58.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 ZWL 52.0

$2.40 MX$41.61

-18.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 ZWL 130

$3.13 MX$54.1

55.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 ZWL 43.21

$1.31 MX$22.69

23.66%

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

$19.9K ZWL 531.2K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-33.21%

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

$23.6K ZWL 628.7K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

1.05%

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

$57.7 ZWL 1,539

$81.3 MX$1,406

-29.04%

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

$17.62 ZWL 470

$22.56 MX$390

-21.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$93.7 ZWL 2,499

$30.05 MX$520

211.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$9.90 ZWL 264

$4.92 MX$85.1

101.22%

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

$275 ZWL 7,335

$201 MX$3,474

36.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,208 ZWL 192.3K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

39.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.12 ZWL 510

$35.92 MX$622

-46.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.96 ZWL 559

$40.13 MX$694

-47.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.80 ZWL 928

$79.7 MX$1,379

-56.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.56 ZWL 1,082

$86.5 MX$1,496

-53.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$60.2 ZWL 1,607

$978 MX$16.9K

-93.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$297 ZWL 7,916

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-82.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 ZWL 3,950

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-87.70%

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 %)

13.31

11.42

16.55%

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

Last update for Masvingo: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $60.2 in Masvingo versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Masvingo versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Masvingo vs $252 in Playa del Carmen – so Masvingo 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $619 in Masvingo, $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 104% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $928 per month in Masvingo and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Masvingo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $619 in Masvingo and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $275 per month in Masvingo and $201 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 $619, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $619 in Masvingo to $1,260 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.