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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $607 in Gweru, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,089 in Gweru, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,572 in Gweru, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 113% more than Gweru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Gweru are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Gweru 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$2.46 ZWL 65.8

376.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$50.8 ZWL 1,356

-17.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$5.96 ZWL 159

74.66%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$2.75 ZWL 73.3

31.27%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.48 ZWL 12.68

204.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.44 ZWL 11.67

120.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.53 ZWL 40.78

90.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$1.03 ZWL 27.41

348.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.54 ZWL 41.20

-7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.02 ZWL 27.28

86.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.94 ZWL 51.9

-19.07%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$1.98 ZWL 52.7

33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$10.74 ZWL 287

-21.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$3.73 ZWL 99.7

130.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$5.47 ZWL 146

101.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$1.98 ZWL 52.9

36.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.71 ZWL 45.58

-11.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$2.06 ZWL 55.0

-7.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$0.98 ZWL 26.19

121.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.50 ZWL 40.10

24.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$0.99 ZWL 26.39

125.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.94 ZWL 25.21

14.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.02 ZWL 27.21

4.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$1.12 ZWL 29.88

271.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$9.18 ZWL 245

12.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.17 ZWL 31.35

43.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.80 ZWL 47.99

40.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.48 ZWL 12.69

14.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$5.06 ZWL 135

-36.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.88 ZWL 23.59

179.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$5.06 ZWL 135

-36.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.55 ZWL 41.30

-14.84%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$19.9K ZWL 531.5K

51.40%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$23.2K ZWL 619.4K

0.80%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$30.55 ZWL 815

166.28%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$17.26 ZWL 461

29.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$94.1 ZWL 2,512

-68.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$40.72 ZWL 1,087

26.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$1.94 ZWL 51.8

847.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$10.17 ZWL 271

-49.26%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$247 ZWL 6,604

-18.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$5,705 ZWL 152.3K

-6.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$19.20 ZWL 513

85.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$20.26 ZWL 541

99.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$35.10 ZWL 937

124.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$40.69 ZWL 1,086

113.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$151 ZWL 4,034

528.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$69.2 ZWL 1,848

590.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$553 ZWL 14.8K

192.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$296 ZWL 7,910

312.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$252 ZWL 6,716

167.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

63.14%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Gweru: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $151 in Gweru. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 167% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $51.0 in Gweru. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Playa del Carmen vs $192 in Gweru – so Gweru 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 Gweru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, $607 in Gweru – roughly 113% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $910 in Gweru. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gweru, 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $607 in Gweru. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $247 in Gweru. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Gweru, where all-in costs run around $607, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Gweru it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $607 in Gweru to $1,294 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Gweru. 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.