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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $680 in Elmina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,160 in Elmina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,640 in Elmina, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 90% more than Elmina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Elmina are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Elmina 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$8.14 GHS 92.0

43.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$53.4 GHS 604

-12.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$10.81 GHS 122

7.77%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$4.72 GHS 53.3

-13.35%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.65 GHS 18.66

-16.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.49 GHS 5.48

69.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$1.86 GHS 21.01

80.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$2.27 GHS 25.65

204.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$3.81 GHS 43.11

-54.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$1.80 GHS 20.34

25.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$3.14 GHS 35.48

-43.63%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$2.71 GHS 30.61

0.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$12.56 GHS 142

-26.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$7.49 GHS 84.6

19.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$10.26 GHS 116

22.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$3.77 GHS 42.55

-19.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$1.47 GHS 16.63

6.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$1.86 GHS 21.06

14.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$3.75 GHS 42.42

-39.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$2.81 GHS 31.80

-28.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$2.73 GHS 30.84

-24.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.78 GHS 8.78

51.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.62 GHS 6.95

93.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$2.59 GHS 29.23

78.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$7.16 GHS 80.9

49.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$1.32 GHS 14.93

22.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$2.46 GHS 27.75

17.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$1.73 GHS 19.53

215.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$1.29 GHS 14.59

186.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$4.38 GHS 49.50

36.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.39 GHS 15.73

11.51%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$8,005 GHS 90.5K

178.92%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$10.3K GHS 116.0K

152.77%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$74.0 GHS 836

20.53%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$19.52 GHS 221

28.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$43.23 GHS 489

-27.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$13.10 GHS 148

-61.45%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$468 GHS 5,294

-51.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$18.5K GHS 208.8K

-77.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$14.64 GHS 165

224.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$19.45 GHS 220

131.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$37.21 GHS 420

120.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$55.0 GHS 621

67.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

26.75

-57.20%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Elmina: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $53.0 in Elmina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $290 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 90%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,021 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $53.0 in Elmina. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elmina, where all-in costs run around $680, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.