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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $790 per month in Mutare vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,215 per month in Mutare vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,639 per month in Mutare vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mutare is about 38% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mutare and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Mutare 42% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.15 ZWL 271

$11.60 MX$200

-12.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.66 ZWL 1,057

$47.11 MX$811

-15.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.47 ZWL 119

$11.88 MX$205

-62.37%

Cappuccino

$1.28 ZWL 34.11

$3.98 MX$68.5

-67.84%

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

$0.71 ZWL 19.05

$1.43 MX$24.58

-50.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ZWL 12.76

$0.82 MX$14.20

-41.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 ZWL 36.92

$3.19 MX$54.9

-56.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ZWL 48.87

$6.79 MX$117

-73.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ZWL 33.78

$1.68 MX$28.86

-24.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ZWL 25.99

$2.20 MX$37.84

-55.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ZWL 33.67

$1.71 MX$29.42

-26.32%

Eggs

$1.89 ZWL 50.3

$2.74 MX$47.21

-31.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.96 ZWL 78.9

$9.58 MX$165

-69.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.97 ZWL 106

$9.01 MX$155

-55.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.07 ZWL 135

$12.81 MX$221

-60.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ZWL 54.3

$2.89 MX$49.75

-29.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ZWL 42.86

$1.50 MX$25.79

7.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ZWL 54.5

$2.15 MX$37.00

-4.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 ZWL 26.93

$2.26 MX$38.92

-55.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 ZWL 44.27

$1.98 MX$34.11

-16.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 ZWL 26.18

$1.99 MX$34.27

-50.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ZWL 12.85

$1.23 MX$21.26

-60.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ZWL 26.43

$1.20 MX$20.61

-17.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.21 ZWL 32.30

$4.55 MX$78.4

-73.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.99 ZWL 160

$10.37 MX$179

-42.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ZWL 31.21

$1.62 MX$27.88

-27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ZWL 45.73

$2.88 MX$49.61

-40.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 ZWL 19.00

$0.60 MX$10.34

18.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.48 ZWL 706

$28.80 MX$496

-8.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ZWL 81.0

$5.39 MX$92.8

-43.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 ZWL 53.7

$3.73 MX$64.2

-46.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 ZWL 133

$5.77 MX$99.4

-13.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 ZWL 49.30

$1.54 MX$26.46

20.13%

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

$22.3K ZWL 593.7K

$22.5K MX$388.4K

-1.21%

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

$24.3K ZWL 646.3K

$26.1K MX$448.8K

-6.93%

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

$54.0 ZWL 1,438

$91.4 MX$1,574

-40.93%

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

$15.04 ZWL 401

$25.20 MX$434

-40.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.8 ZWL 1,594

$31.24 MX$538

91.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.27 ZWL 1,047

$67.2 MX$1,158

-41.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.95 ZWL 132

$29.11 MX$501

-83.00%

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 ZWL 265

$4.86 MX$83.8

104.32%

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

$149 ZWL 3,981

$224 MX$3,852

-33.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,070 ZWL 241.7K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

114.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.81 ZWL 261

$47.10 MX$811

-79.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.26 ZWL 247

$44.29 MX$763

-79.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.03 ZWL 667

$80.1 MX$1,380

-68.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$20.27 ZWL 540

$92.7 MX$1,596

-78.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$347 ZWL 9,257

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-67.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$246 ZWL 6,546

$390 MX$6,721

-37.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 ZWL 19.8K

$2,149 MX$37.0K

-65.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 ZWL 10.6K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-68.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$252 ZWL 6,726

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-93.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$252 ZWL 6,711

$758 MX$13.1K

-66.79%

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 Mutare: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $347 in Mutare versus $1,063 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.

Salaries run about 201% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Mutare versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $154 vs $276 – making Mutare 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 60%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,186 per month in Mutare and $1,899 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 Mutare, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 9% less in Mutare. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $149 per month in Mutare 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mutare, where all-in costs run around $790, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Mutare it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mutare – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Mutare. 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.