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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $607 in Gweru, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,097 in Gweru, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,588 in Gweru, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 112% more than Gweru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Gweru are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Gweru 55% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Gweru
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94 MX$209
$2.45 ZWL 62.0
387.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$748
$50.9 ZWL 1,288
-16.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 MX$185
$5.84 ZWL 148
81.34%
Cappuccino
$3.62 MX$63.4
$2.73 ZWL 69.1
32.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.69
$0.48 ZWL 12.24
206.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 MX$16.51
$0.47 ZWL 11.83
100.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 MX$54.1
$1.47 ZWL 37.26
110.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46 MX$78.0
$1.03 ZWL 25.97
333.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Gweru
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.94
$1.46 ZWL 36.94
-2.05%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.97
$0.98 ZWL 24.76
91.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 MX$28.50
$1.94 ZWL 49.19
-15.98%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$46.26
$1.96 ZWL 49.57
34.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.21 MX$144
$10.85 ZWL 275
-24.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.29 MX$145
$3.89 ZWL 98.3
113.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.10 MX$194
$5.62 ZWL 142
97.51%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 MX$46.40
$1.95 ZWL 49.22
35.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$26.26
$1.70 ZWL 43.08
-11.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.79
$1.95 ZWL 49.33
2.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$36.33
$1.02 ZWL 25.83
103.92%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$31.29
$1.56 ZWL 39.44
14.74%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 MX$38.09
$1.02 ZWL 25.81
113.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.84
$1.02 ZWL 25.73
5.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 MX$18.15
$0.94 ZWL 23.77
10.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97 MX$69.5
$1.09 ZWL 27.51
264.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.20 MX$179
$8.73 ZWL 221
16.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 MX$30.22
$1.18 ZWL 29.81
46.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 MX$43.71
$1.70 ZWL 42.99
47.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Gweru
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.07
$0.49 ZWL 12.31
6.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.97 MX$472
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$55.0
$5.09 ZWL 129
-38.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$42.04
$0.86 ZWL 21.83
179.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 MX$54.0
$4.90 ZWL 124
-36.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$22.28
$1.56 ZWL 39.37
-18.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K MX$540.4K
$20.4K ZWL 515.1K
51.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$408.0K
$23.8K ZWL 602.2K
-2.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Gweru
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,435
$30.03 ZWL 760
173.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45 MX$393
$16.92 ZWL 428
32.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66 MX$519
$94.0 ZWL 2,378
-68.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Gweru
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.9 MX$908
$40.50 ZWL 1,025
28.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67 MX$327
$1.99 ZWL 50.3
838.19%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97 MX$87.0
$10.10 ZWL 256
-50.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Gweru
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,462
$247 ZWL 6,243
-19.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,273 MX$92.3K
$5,912 ZWL 149.6K
-10.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Gweru
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34 MX$636
$19.45 ZWL 492
86.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05 MX$701
$19.67 ZWL 498
103.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 MX$1,398
$34.30 ZWL 868
132.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,555
$40.90 ZWL 1,035
117.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Gweru
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.9K
$147 ZWL 3,726
554.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$465 MX$8,133
$68.7 ZWL 1,738
576.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,596 MX$27.9K
$561 ZWL 14.2K
184.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 MX$21.2K
$297 ZWL 7,515
306.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,942 MX$69.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,448 MX$112.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Gweru
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$720 MX$12.6K
$250 ZWL 6,318
188.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
7
63.14%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Gweru: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $147 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 188% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $51.0 in Gweru. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $191 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
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and Gweru compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $607 in Gweru – roughly 112% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Gweru?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 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.
How do rents compare between Playa del Carmen and Gweru?
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.
Which city is more expensive overall: Playa del Carmen or Gweru?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $607 in Gweru. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Playa del Carmen and Gweru?
Kindergarten costs $198 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.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Gweru, where all-in costs run around $607, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Gweru it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Gweru?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $607 in Gweru to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Playa del Carmen and Gweru?
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.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities