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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $532 in Elmina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $903 in Elmina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,274 in Elmina, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 144% more than Elmina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Elmina are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Elmina 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.31 GHS 50.7

172.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$47.20 GHS 554

-11.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.91 GHS 92.9

34.51%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.49 GHS 40.97

0.86%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.93 GHS 10.87

62.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.34 GHS 4.05

185.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.56 GHS 18.37

89.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.56 GHS 30.01

73.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$3.45 GHS 40.52

-60.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.43 GHS 16.81

32.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.35 GHS 27.59

-30.21%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.30 GHS 26.98

9.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.32 GHS 133

-26.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.79 GHS 56.2

74.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.00 GHS 70.5

78.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.89 GHS 33.93

-10.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.43 GHS 16.81

2.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.69 GHS 19.83

12.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$3.19 GHS 37.48

-34.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$3.10 GHS 36.34

-42.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.43 GHS 28.55

-9.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.77 GHS 9.00

35.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.51 GHS 6.03

111.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.59 GHS 18.62

156.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$7.05 GHS 82.8

46.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.12 GHS 13.16

52.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.93 GHS 22.68

33.68%

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

$1.55 GHS 18.18

110.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.21 GHS 14.18

105.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$5.40 GHS 63.3

-39.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.07 GHS 12.59

22.43%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$7,843 GHS 92.1K

286.06%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$9,458 GHS 111.0K

147.72%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$54.7 GHS 642

51.64%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$13.44 GHS 158

65.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$37.50 GHS 440

-21.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$9.70 GHS 114

-47.73%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$73.4 GHS 861

173.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$8,040 GHS 94.4K

-35.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$14.53 GHS 171

154.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$18.52 GHS 217

114.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$29.62 GHS 348

164.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$40.75 GHS 478

113.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

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 Elmina: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $47.00 in Elmina. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $236 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 144%, 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 $798 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 $47.00 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 $532, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.