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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $808 in Cape Coast, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,315 in Cape Coast, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,823 in Cape Coast, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 56% 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 6% lower, Cape Coast 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$4.33 GHS 50.0

176.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$47.00 GHS 542

-11.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.90 GHS 91.2

36.08%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.45 GHS 39.81

1.45%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.99 GHS 11.41

46.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.37 GHS 4.27

137.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.51 GHS 17.43

95.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.54 GHS 29.31

77.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$3.37 GHS 38.84

-57.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.45 GHS 16.72

26.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.35 GHS 27.06

-33.19%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.26 GHS 26.10

11.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$11.32 GHS 131

-26.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.55 GHS 52.6

85.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$5.98 GHS 69.0

78.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.95 GHS 34.03

-11.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.40 GHS 16.18

2.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.69 GHS 19.45

15.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$3.13 GHS 36.14

-33.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$3.00 GHS 34.65

-38.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.35 GHS 27.10

-7.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.79 GHS 9.15

30.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.52 GHS 5.98

105.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.65 GHS 18.99

148.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$7.37 GHS 85.1

37.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.15 GHS 13.28

46.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.94 GHS 22.39

30.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.62 GHS 18.71

99.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.16 GHS 13.33

107.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$5.62 GHS 64.9

-42.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.08 GHS 12.46

22.22%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$7,869 GHS 90.8K

277.38%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$9,553 GHS 110.2K

147.71%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$54.6 GHS 630

50.31%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$13.10 GHS 151

75.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$37.30 GHS 430

-19.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$9.61 GHS 111

-48.18%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$73.4 GHS 847

169.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$8,042 GHS 92.8K

-33.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$14.85 GHS 171

139.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$18.52 GHS 214

117.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$28.94 GHS 334

172.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$40.61 GHS 469

118.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$704 GHS 8,120

34.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$256 GHS 2,952

85.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,437 GHS 16.6K

14.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$552 GHS 6,369

119.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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 Cape Coast: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $704 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 $47.00 in Cape Coast. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $234 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 56%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,212 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $808 in Cape Coast. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $73.4 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 $808, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.