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 $722 per month in Ndola vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,700 per month in Ndola vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,678 per month in Ndola vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ndola is about 44% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Ndola and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ndola 46% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.10 ZMW 127

$11.73 MX$203

-39.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.46 ZMW 437

$41.62 MX$720

-41.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.66 ZMW 65.3

$10.64 MX$184

-65.60%

Cappuccino

$1.94 ZMW 34.61

$3.52 MX$60.9

-44.89%

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

$0.38 ZMW 6.70

$1.51 MX$26.12

-74.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ZMW 3.09

$0.97 MX$16.84

-82.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ZMW 16.76

$2.95 MX$51.0

-68.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ZMW 32.88

$4.45 MX$77.0

-58.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ZMW 22.15

$1.38 MX$23.93

-10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ZMW 14.08

$1.89 MX$32.72

-58.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 ZMW 28.09

$1.64 MX$28.32

-4.27%

Eggs

$1.26 ZMW 22.58

$2.51 MX$43.34

-49.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 ZMW 135

$8.34 MX$144

-9.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 ZMW 70.5

$8.34 MX$144

-52.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.69 ZMW 83.8

$10.73 MX$186

-56.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ZMW 21.87

$2.60 MX$45.04

-52.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 29.45

$1.46 MX$25.20

13.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 ZMW 49.57

$1.90 MX$32.87

46.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 20.94

$2.08 MX$35.91

-43.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ZMW 32.20

$1.78 MX$30.71

1.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ZMW 23.49

$2.19 MX$37.80

-39.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ZMW 16.36

$1.04 MX$17.99

-11.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZMW 9.12

$1.08 MX$18.62

-52.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.50 ZMW 44.66

$4.08 MX$70.6

-38.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.85 ZMW 194

$10.32 MX$178

5.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ZMW 20.36

$1.71 MX$29.61

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ZMW 27.88

$2.58 MX$44.54

-39.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ZMW 9.90

$0.51 MX$8.81

7.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 ZMW 32.63

$3.26 MX$56.4

-43.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.44 ZMW 168

$3.25 MX$56.2

190.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.31

$1.31 MX$22.61

-9.16%

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

$8,120 ZMW 144.9K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-73.18%

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

$28.0K ZMW 500.4K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

19.64%

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

$91.8 ZMW 1,638

$82.9 MX$1,433

10.76%

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

$36.35 ZMW 649

$22.22 MX$384

63.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$124 ZMW 2,206

$29.34 MX$507

321.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$4.06 ZMW 72.5

$5.07 MX$87.6

-19.92%

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

$173 ZMW 3,095

$201 MX$3,473

-13.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,711 ZMW 173.3K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

86.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.00 ZMW 339

$36.92 MX$639

-48.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.14 ZMW 306

$39.79 MX$688

-56.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ZMW 1,510

$78.5 MX$1,357

7.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 ZMW 1,307

$87.1 MX$1,506

-15.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 ZMW 2,253

$973 MX$16.8K

-87.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZMW 1,953

$468 MX$8,090

-76.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 ZMW 4,753

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-83.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 ZMW 26.4K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

21.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ZMW 10.9K

$664 MX$11.5K

-8.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

118.91%

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

Last update for Ndola: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $126 in Ndola versus $973 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 9% 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 $24.00 in Ndola versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $249 – 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 80%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,083 per month in Ndola and $1,945 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 $24.00 in Ndola and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% 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 $722, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.