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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $182 in Kitwe, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,209 in Kitwe, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,236 in Kitwe, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 596% more than Kitwe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kitwe are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Kitwe 87% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.49 ZMW 48.76

59.84%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.58 ZMW 11.33

146.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.78 ZMW 15.22

5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$2.05 ZMW 40.09

55.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.43 ZMW 47.62

179.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.98 ZMW 19.27

124.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.46 ZMW 48.31

84.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.17 ZMW 22.92

38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$1.02 ZMW 20.05

182.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.46 ZMW 28.69

5.48%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$30.3K ZMW 593.3K

-13.91%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

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

$25.20 MX$434

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$98.6 ZMW 1,933

-68.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$14.74 ZMW 289

355.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

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

$224 MX$3,851

$599 ZMW 11.7K

-62.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$11.8K ZMW 230.6K

-64.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,200 ZMW 23.5K

-11.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$2,536 ZMW 49.7K

-15.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$2,025 ZMW 39.7K

-37.18%

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-68.19%

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 Kitwe: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,200 in Kitwe. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $182 in Kitwe – roughly 596% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $273 in Kitwe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kitwe, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $599 in Kitwe. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $182 in Kitwe. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kitwe, where all-in costs run around $182, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $182 in Kitwe to $1,266 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.