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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $526 in Elmina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $905 in Elmina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,284 in Elmina, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 139% more than Elmina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Elmina are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Elmina 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$4.45 GHS 51.4

169.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$48.28 GHS 557

-13.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.79 GHS 89.9

38.00%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.54 GHS 40.91

-1.13%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.92 GHS 10.67

57.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.34 GHS 3.96

158.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.58 GHS 18.18

86.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.48 GHS 28.58

81.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$3.47 GHS 40.05

-58.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.45 GHS 16.79

26.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.37 GHS 27.31

-33.76%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.40 GHS 27.68

4.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$11.04 GHS 127

-25.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.54 GHS 52.4

85.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$5.82 GHS 67.2

83.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.91 GHS 33.59

-10.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.40 GHS 16.11

2.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.71 GHS 19.68

14.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$3.21 GHS 36.99

-34.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$3.00 GHS 34.61

-38.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.44 GHS 28.12

-11.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.75 GHS 8.68

37.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.49 GHS 5.60

118.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.65 GHS 19.04

148.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$7.42 GHS 85.7

37.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.11 GHS 12.84

51.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.96 GHS 22.62

29.08%

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 18.64

99.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.17 GHS 13.53

105.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$5.48 GHS 63.2

-41.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.09 GHS 12.58

21.10%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$8,156 GHS 94.1K

264.09%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$9,546 GHS 110.2K

147.88%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$56.5 GHS 651

45.28%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$13.33 GHS 154

72.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$38.32 GHS 442

-21.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$9.92 GHS 114

-49.80%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$71.4 GHS 824

176.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$7,919 GHS 91.4K

-32.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$14.66 GHS 169

142.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$19.23 GHS 222

109.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$28.80 GHS 332

173.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$41.81 GHS 483

112.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

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 Elmina: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $48.00 in Elmina. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $234 in Elmina – so Elmina 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 Elmina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 139%, 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 $789 in Elmina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $48.00 in Elmina. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elmina, where all-in costs run around $526, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Elmina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elmina – 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 Elmina. 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.