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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $218 in Kitwe, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $350 in Kitwe, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $482 in Kitwe, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 483% more than Kitwe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kitwe are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Kitwe 84% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.02 ZMW 52.8

293.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.45 ZMW 25.41

137.93%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.60 ZMW 10.56

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.40 ZMW 6.93

137.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$0.91 ZMW 15.93

232.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$1.48 ZMW 25.88

211.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.84 ZMW 14.71

64.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.16 ZMW 20.19

59.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$3.72 ZMW 65.1

-56.72%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.91 ZMW 33.38

35.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.98 ZMW 122

19.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$6.54 ZMW 114

63.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.87 ZMW 50.2

-8.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.15 ZMW 20.18

29.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.20 ZMW 21.01

60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.15 ZMW 20.17

81.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$3.01 ZMW 52.6

-38.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.36 ZMW 41.30

-4.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.15 ZMW 20.06

-7.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.57 ZMW 9.88

91.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$1.74 ZMW 30.44

138.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.75 ZMW 13.10

129.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.49 ZMW 26.11

75.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

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

$22.71 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kitwe: June 6, 2026

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 Kitwe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $218 in Kitwe – roughly 483% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $327 in Kitwe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $218 in Kitwe. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 55% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kitwe, where all-in costs run around $218, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Kitwe 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 $218 in Kitwe to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Kitwe. 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.