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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $601 in Gweru, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,074 in Gweru, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,548 in Gweru, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 110% more than Gweru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Gweru are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Gweru 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$2.46 ZWL 65.6

376.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$51.0 ZWL 1,360

-17.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.12 ZWL 163

71.73%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.78 ZWL 74.2

29.14%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.48 ZWL 12.91

214.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.47 ZWL 12.51

95.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.46 ZWL 39.06

102.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.02 ZWL 27.28

332.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.52 ZWL 40.61

-7.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.97 ZWL 25.94

93.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.86 ZWL 49.75

-16.13%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.97 ZWL 52.6

32.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$10.93 ZWL 292

-23.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$3.71 ZWL 99.1

125.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$5.60 ZWL 149

93.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.04 ZWL 54.3

32.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.69 ZWL 44.96

-10.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.04 ZWL 54.5

-8.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.02 ZWL 27.14

114.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.56 ZWL 41.68

19.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.98 ZWL 26.14

127.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.95 ZWL 25.47

12.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.03 ZWL 27.44

5.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$1.11 ZWL 29.74

277.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$9.22 ZWL 246

13.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.18 ZWL 31.60

40.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.71 ZWL 45.58

52.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.51 ZWL 13.61

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$5.07 ZWL 135

-39.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.88 ZWL 23.48

172.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$5.11 ZWL 136

-38.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.56 ZWL 41.52

-16.03%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$19.7K ZWL 524.5K

51.61%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$23.3K ZWL 622.7K

-0.08%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$30.34 ZWL 810

167.90%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$17.29 ZWL 461

30.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$91.7 ZWL 2,448

-67.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$39.76 ZWL 1,061

33.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

838.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$10.03 ZWL 268

-50.95%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$246 ZWL 6,571

-18.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$5,774 ZWL 154.1K

-10.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$19.73 ZWL 526

82.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$20.18 ZWL 538

98.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$34.88 ZWL 931

128.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$39.70 ZWL 1,059

117.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$152 ZWL 4,061

542.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$68.6 ZWL 1,831

585.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$542 ZWL 14.5K

204.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$299 ZWL 7,965

303.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$252 ZWL 6,721

168.61%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Gweru: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $152 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 169% 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 – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $193 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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $601 in Gweru – roughly 110% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $902 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $601 in Gweru. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $246 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 $601, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $601 in Gweru to $1,260 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.