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 $794 per month in Mutare vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,254 per month in Mutare vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,714 per month in Mutare vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mutare is about 37% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mutare and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Mutare 40% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.82 ZWL 262

$11.72 MX$203

-16.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.05 ZWL 1,309

$41.89 MX$725

17.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.38 ZWL 117

$10.51 MX$182

-58.33%

Cappuccino

$1.24 ZWL 32.96

$3.59 MX$62.0

-65.46%

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

$0.66 ZWL 17.65

$1.51 MX$26.10

-56.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 11.43

$0.92 MX$15.83

-53.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 ZWL 37.06

$2.96 MX$51.2

-53.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 ZWL 47.41

$4.41 MX$76.3

-59.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 ZWL 32.72

$1.40 MX$24.16

-12.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ZWL 27.04

$1.88 MX$32.60

-46.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ZWL 35.35

$1.56 MX$26.97

-14.74%

Eggs

$1.93 ZWL 51.6

$2.61 MX$45.14

-26.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.06 ZWL 81.5

$8.32 MX$144

-63.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.90 ZWL 104

$8.35 MX$145

-53.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.89 ZWL 130

$10.86 MX$188

-54.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 ZWL 53.9

$2.71 MX$46.93

-25.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ZWL 43.14

$1.51 MX$26.04

7.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ZWL 53.0

$1.87 MX$32.41

6.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 26.01

$2.19 MX$37.89

-55.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ZWL 41.09

$1.86 MX$32.14

-17.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 ZWL 27.35

$2.23 MX$38.59

-54.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ZWL 12.97

$1.07 MX$18.48

-54.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ZWL 26.54

$1.09 MX$18.79

-9.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.08 ZWL 28.90

$4.19 MX$72.4

-74.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.15 ZWL 164

$10.43 MX$180

-41.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ZWL 31.38

$1.66 MX$28.68

-28.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ZWL 46.29

$2.61 MX$45.19

-33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ZWL 12.71

$0.54 MX$9.37

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 ZWL 719

$26.16 MX$453

3.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 ZWL 78.0

$3.08 MX$53.3

-5.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 ZWL 52.4

$2.40 MX$41.61

-18.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 ZWL 136

$3.13 MX$54.1

62.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ZWL 41.59

$1.31 MX$22.69

19.08%

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

$20.1K ZWL 535.5K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-32.67%

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

$23.3K ZWL 622.6K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

0.06%

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

$57.8 ZWL 1,541

$81.3 MX$1,406

-28.95%

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

$15.22 ZWL 406

$22.56 MX$390

-32.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 ZWL 1,610

$30.05 MX$520

100.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.37 ZWL 1,077

$52.9 MX$915

-23.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.94 ZWL 132

$18.39 MX$318

-73.14%

Cinema Ticket

$10.09 ZWL 269

$4.92 MX$85.1

105.08%

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

$148 ZWL 3,951

$201 MX$3,474

-26.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,359 ZWL 196.3K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

42.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.03 ZWL 268

$35.92 MX$622

-72.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.58 ZWL 255

$40.13 MX$694

-76.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$24.60 ZWL 656

$79.7 MX$1,379

-69.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$20.04 ZWL 535

$86.5 MX$1,496

-76.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$351 ZWL 9,353

$978 MX$16.9K

-64.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 ZWL 6,791

$470 MX$8,140

-45.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 ZWL 20.4K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-53.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 ZWL 10.6K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-66.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$251 ZWL 6,705

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-93.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$248 ZWL 6,606

$677 MX$11.7K

-63.41%

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 Mutare: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $351 in Mutare 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.

Salaries run about 173% 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 $49.00 in Mutare versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $154 in Mutare vs $252 in Playa del Carmen – so Mutare 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 59%, 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 $1,191 per month in Mutare 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 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 3% less in Mutare. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $148 per month in Mutare 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mutare, where all-in costs run around $794, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.