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 $779 per month in Mutare vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,247 per month in Mutare vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,715 per month in Mutare vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mutare is about 39% 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 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.07 ZWL 270

$11.87 MX$204

-15.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 ZWL 1,359

$42.90 MX$736

18.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ZWL 124

$10.65 MX$183

-56.53%

Cappuccino

$1.27 ZWL 34.11

$3.45 MX$59.2

-63.19%

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

$0.67 ZWL 18.04

$1.50 MX$25.81

-55.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 11.51

$0.95 MX$16.28

-54.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 ZWL 35.11

$3.03 MX$51.9

-56.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ZWL 48.65

$4.61 MX$79.1

-60.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ZWL 33.12

$1.38 MX$23.61

-10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.41

$1.85 MX$31.70

-44.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ZWL 35.64

$1.61 MX$27.65

-17.39%

Eggs

$1.92 ZWL 51.5

$2.59 MX$44.51

-25.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.01 ZWL 80.7

$8.26 MX$142

-63.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 ZWL 109

$8.37 MX$144

-51.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.17 ZWL 139

$10.66 MX$183

-51.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 ZWL 54.3

$2.63 MX$45.12

-22.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 43.93

$1.49 MX$25.53

10.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 ZWL 54.0

$1.92 MX$32.94

5.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 ZWL 26.43

$2.09 MX$35.81

-52.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 ZWL 41.97

$1.86 MX$31.88

-15.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 ZWL 26.17

$2.26 MX$38.81

-56.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 ZWL 13.70

$1.06 MX$18.23

-51.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ZWL 27.21

$1.09 MX$18.67

-6.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.12 ZWL 29.91

$4.15 MX$71.2

-73.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.89 ZWL 158

$10.39 MX$178

-43.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ZWL 31.39

$1.72 MX$29.59

-31.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ZWL 44.96

$2.61 MX$44.85

-35.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ZWL 13.77

$0.54 MX$9.30

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.01 ZWL 723

$26.94 MX$462

0.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 ZWL 81.9

$3.13 MX$53.7

-2.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 ZWL 52.7

$2.51 MX$43.09

-21.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 ZWL 130

$3.15 MX$54.1

53.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ZWL 41.72

$1.27 MX$21.88

22.83%

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

$19.8K ZWL 530.2K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-34.79%

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

$23.5K ZWL 628.4K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-0.39%

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

$57.5 ZWL 1,540

$83.0 MX$1,425

-30.67%

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

$14.83 ZWL 397

$22.71 MX$390

-34.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 ZWL 1,627

$29.46 MX$506

106.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.97 ZWL 1,070

$51.0 MX$875

-21.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.90 ZWL 131

$18.33 MX$315

-73.27%

Cinema Ticket

$9.98 ZWL 267

$4.93 MX$84.5

102.43%

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

$148 ZWL 3,961

$197 MX$3,386

-25.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,258 ZWL 194.3K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

37.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.85 ZWL 264

$36.90 MX$633

-73.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.39 ZWL 251

$39.89 MX$685

-76.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.10 ZWL 672

$80.0 MX$1,373

-68.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.78 ZWL 529

$89.5 MX$1,536

-77.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$355 ZWL 9,491

$956 MX$16.4K

-62.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 ZWL 6,748

$477 MX$8,189

-47.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 ZWL 20.2K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-54.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 ZWL 10.7K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-67.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$253 ZWL 6,783

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-93.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$247 ZWL 6,599

$667 MX$11.4K

-63.04%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $355 in Mutare versus $956 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 171% 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 $51.0 in Mutare versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $155 in Mutare vs $250 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 63%, 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 $1,168 per month in Mutare and $1,906 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 0% less in Mutare. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $148 per month in Mutare and $197 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 $779, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.