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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $600 in Gweru, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,064 in Gweru, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,528 in Gweru, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 111% more than Gweru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Gweru are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Gweru 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.71 ZWL 98.7

212.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$39.57 ZWL 1,055

19.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$6.13 ZWL 163

93.80%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.86 ZWL 76.3

39.16%

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

$1.43 MX$24.58

$0.49 ZWL 12.96

191.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.38 ZWL 10.22

115.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.28 ZWL 34.04

149.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.74 ZWL 46.24

290.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.86

$1.47 ZWL 39.09

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.84

$1.03 ZWL 27.40

113.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.42

$1.70 ZWL 45.30

0.59%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.21

$1.93 ZWL 51.4

41.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$11.92 ZWL 318

-19.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.87 ZWL 103

132.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$5.35 ZWL 142

139.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.75

$1.97 ZWL 52.5

46.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.79

$1.63 ZWL 43.40

-7.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.00

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

9.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.92

$0.97 ZWL 25.88

132.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.11

$1.64 ZWL 43.73

20.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.27

$0.97 ZWL 25.98

105.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.26

$1.20 ZWL 32.06

2.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.61

$1.01 ZWL 26.95

18.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.4

$1.95 ZWL 52.1

133.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$8.85 ZWL 236

17.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.38 ZWL 36.65

17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.61

$2.03 ZWL 54.0

41.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.52 ZWL 13.76

15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$3.97 ZWL 106

35.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.86 ZWL 22.79

333.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.4

$4.89 ZWL 130

18.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.46

$1.67 ZWL 44.45

-7.78%

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

$22.5K MX$388.4K

$21.8K ZWL 580.0K

3.61%

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

$26.1K MX$448.8K

$27.1K ZWL 721.4K

-3.74%

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

$91.4 MX$1,574

$29.78 ZWL 794

206.85%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$17.05 ZWL 454

47.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$65.8 ZWL 1,754

-52.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,158

$39.36 ZWL 1,049

70.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

1385.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$9.89 ZWL 263

-50.86%

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

$224 MX$3,852

$250 ZWL 6,660

-10.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$5,889 ZWL 156.9K

-28.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$24.18 ZWL 644

94.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$20.27 ZWL 540

118.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,380

$39.75 ZWL 1,059

101.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$41.12 ZWL 1,096

125.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$152 ZWL 4,058

597.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,721

$68.7 ZWL 1,832

467.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$546 ZWL 14.6K

293.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$302 ZWL 8,052

321.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$249 ZWL 6,641

204.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

63.57%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Gweru: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 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 204% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.00 in Gweru. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $195 – making Gweru 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 Gweru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $600 in Gweru – roughly 111% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $900 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $600 in Gweru. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $250 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 $600, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $600 in Gweru to $1,266 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.