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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $751 per month in Ndola vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,768 per month in Ndola vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,784 per month in Ndola vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ndola is about 42% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ndola and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ndola 45% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.75 ZMW 110

$11.71 MX$198

-50.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.73 ZMW 608

$46.59 MX$786

-31.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 ZMW 98.2

$11.65 MX$197

-55.97%

Cappuccino

$2.89 ZMW 55.4

$4.09 MX$69.1

-29.34%

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

$0.56 ZMW 10.63

$1.37 MX$23.20

-59.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ZMW 4.75

$0.83 MX$14.07

-69.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 ZMW 24.64

$3.35 MX$56.6

-61.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 ZMW 45.02

$6.91 MX$117

-65.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ZMW 33.29

$1.73 MX$29.15

0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ZMW 22.76

$2.26 MX$38.15

-47.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ZMW 41.01

$1.77 MX$29.86

20.90%

Eggs

$1.65 ZMW 31.56

$2.73 MX$46.12

-39.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.73 ZMW 205

$9.18 MX$155

16.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 ZMW 124

$8.92 MX$151

-27.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.81 ZMW 130

$12.60 MX$213

-45.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 30.49

$3.02 MX$51.0

-47.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ZMW 48.00

$1.57 MX$26.51

59.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 ZMW 72.0

$2.13 MX$35.88

76.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 31.61

$2.26 MX$38.22

-26.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 ZMW 49.89

$2.00 MX$33.82

30.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 ZMW 37.32

$2.06 MX$34.85

-5.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ZMW 22.22

$1.18 MX$19.91

-1.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ZMW 12.54

$1.20 MX$20.32

-45.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ZMW 59.7

$4.63 MX$78.2

-32.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 ZMW 200

$10.69 MX$180

-2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ZMW 29.17

$1.62 MX$27.33

-6.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 ZMW 46.43

$2.88 MX$48.63

-15.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 ZMW 14.41

$0.57 MX$9.68

31.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 ZMW 49.81

$5.45 MX$91.9

-52.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ZMW 29.85

$3.70 MX$62.5

-57.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.22 ZMW 99.9

$5.98 MX$101

-12.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ZMW 28.20

$1.55 MX$26.22

-5.16%

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

$7,874 ZMW 150.8K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

-64.74%

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

$27.2K ZMW 520.4K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

4.72%

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

$84.6 ZMW 1,620

$89.1 MX$1,504

-5.09%

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

$10.89 ZMW 209

$25.04 MX$423

-56.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 ZMW 1,109

$31.50 MX$532

83.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,144

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 ZMW 118

$5.05 MX$85.2

22.18%

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

$143 ZMW 2,732

$225 MX$3,797

-36.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K ZMW 320.4K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

296.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.07 ZMW 461

$47.44 MX$801

-49.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.45 ZMW 315

$44.98 MX$759

-63.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.47 ZMW 909

$82.0 MX$1,384

-42.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 ZMW 1,453

$92.1 MX$1,555

-17.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 ZMW 3,474

$1,069 MX$18.0K

-83.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 ZMW 3,009

$405 MX$6,842

-61.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 ZMW 7,439

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-79.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,519 ZMW 29.1K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

16.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ZMW 11.3K

$749 MX$12.6K

-21.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

153.28%

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

Last update for Ndola: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $181 in Ndola versus $1,069 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 27% 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 $32.00 in Ndola versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $277 – making Ndola 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 72%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,127 per month in Ndola and $1,940 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 Ndola, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ndola and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ndola, where all-in costs run around $751, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Ndola it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ndola – 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 Ndola. 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.