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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $746 in Accra, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,304 in Accra, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,862 in Accra, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 68% more than Accra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Accra are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Accra 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$4.34 GHS 50.1

176.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$48.15 GHS 556

-13.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.70 GHS 88.9

39.61%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.50 GHS 40.40

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.00 GHS 11.54

45.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.35 GHS 3.98

151.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.53 GHS 17.61

92.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.56 GHS 29.53

76.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$3.37 GHS 38.91

-57.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.46 GHS 16.83

26.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.47 GHS 28.46

-36.44%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.27 GHS 26.17

10.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$11.22 GHS 129

-26.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.54 GHS 52.4

85.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$5.87 GHS 67.8

81.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.90 GHS 33.44

-10.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.46 GHS 16.84

-1.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.71 GHS 19.78

14.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$3.17 GHS 36.59

-34.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.98 GHS 34.36

-37.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.46 GHS 28.38

-11.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.76 GHS 8.80

35.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.48 GHS 5.54

122.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.58 GHS 18.26

159.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$7.30 GHS 84.3

39.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.16 GHS 13.37

44.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.96 GHS 22.66

29.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.05 GHS 12.09

-51.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$35.17 GHS 406

-25.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.54 GHS 17.74

109.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.17 GHS 13.45

105.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$5.38 GHS 62.0

-39.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.13 GHS 12.99

16.81%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$8,009 GHS 92.4K

270.79%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$9,480 GHS 109.4K

149.61%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$55.6 GHS 642

47.45%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$13.03 GHS 150

76.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$37.61 GHS 434

-19.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$35.17 GHS 406

47.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$16.03 GHS 185

15.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$9.74 GHS 112

-48.87%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$72.2 GHS 833

173.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$7,959 GHS 91.8K

-32.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$14.51 GHS 167

145.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$18.82 GHS 217

114.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$28.88 GHS 333

172.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$40.84 GHS 471

117.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$530 GHS 6,114

78.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$147 GHS 1,698

222.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,048 GHS 12.1K

56.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$378 GHS 4,366

220.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,797 GHS 32.3K

45.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,469 GHS 17.0K

340.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$180 GHS 2,081

262.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

25.4

-55.04%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Accra: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $530 in Accra. 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 263% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $48.00 in Accra. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $234 in Accra – so Accra 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $746 in Accra – roughly 68% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,119 in Accra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Accra, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $48.00 in Accra. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Accra, where all-in costs run around $746, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Accra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $746 in Accra to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Accra. 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.