Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cape Coast Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cape Coast

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $801 in Cape Coast, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,315 in Cape Coast, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,829 in Cape Coast, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 62% more than Cape Coast, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Cape Coast are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Cape Coast 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.43 GHS 52.0

164.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$48.03 GHS 564

-13.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.95 GHS 93.4

33.84%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.43 GHS 40.28

2.62%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.93 GHS 10.93

62.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.37 GHS 4.38

162.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.59 GHS 18.61

85.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.45 GHS 28.79

81.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$3.48 GHS 40.80

-60.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.49 GHS 17.52

26.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.35 GHS 27.63

-30.21%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.29 GHS 26.84

9.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.26 GHS 132

-25.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.60 GHS 54.1

81.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.01 GHS 70.6

78.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.92 GHS 34.27

-10.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.39 GHS 16.32

5.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.71 GHS 20.04

11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$3.19 GHS 37.41

-34.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$3.14 GHS 36.87

-43.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.32 GHS 27.22

-5.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.76 GHS 8.94

36.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.49 GHS 5.71

120.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.66 GHS 19.44

145.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$7.06 GHS 82.9

46.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.13 GHS 13.22

51.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.90 GHS 22.28

35.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.56 GHS 18.26

108.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.17 GHS 13.74

112.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$5.63 GHS 66.1

-42.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.11 GHS 13.08

18.02%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$8,141 GHS 95.6K

271.96%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$9,796 GHS 115.0K

139.18%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$55.8 GHS 655

48.59%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$13.40 GHS 157

65.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$37.90 GHS 445

-22.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$9.88 GHS 116

-48.68%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$73.0 GHS 858

174.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$8,176 GHS 96.0K

-36.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$14.92 GHS 175

147.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$18.60 GHS 218

113.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$29.54 GHS 347

165.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$41.13 GHS 483

111.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$696 GHS 8,166

39.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$260 GHS 3,057

79.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,404 GHS 16.5K

16.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$554 GHS 6,507

120.27%

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)

$664 MX$11.5K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cape Coast: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $696 in Cape Coast. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $48.00 in Cape Coast. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $235 in Cape Coast – so Cape Coast 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 Cape Coast: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 62%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,201 in Cape Coast. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $801 in Cape Coast. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $73.0 in Cape Coast. 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 Cape Coast, where all-in costs run around $801, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Cape Coast it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cape Coast – 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 Cape Coast. 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.