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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $621 in Masvingo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,117 in Masvingo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,612 in Masvingo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 107% more than Masvingo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Masvingo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Masvingo 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$9.96 ZWL 252

19.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$51.0 ZWL 1,290

-16.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$6.85 ZWL 173

54.60%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.99 ZWL 75.8

21.07%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.66 ZWL 16.76

122.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.43 ZWL 10.93

118.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.47 ZWL 37.15

110.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.95 ZWL 49.33

128.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.58 ZWL 39.91

-9.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.02 ZWL 25.70

84.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.94 ZWL 49.16

-15.98%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.07 ZWL 52.4

27.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$11.11 ZWL 281

-26.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.36 ZWL 161

30.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$6.31 ZWL 160

75.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.89 ZWL 73.0

-8.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.64 ZWL 41.55

-8.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.22 ZWL 56.1

-10.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.67 ZWL 42.20

24.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.50 ZWL 37.83

19.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.98 ZWL 50.0

10.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.03 ZWL 26.08

4.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.01 ZWL 25.61

2.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$1.13 ZWL 28.52

251.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$8.72 ZWL 221

16.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.18 ZWL 29.77

46.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.72 ZWL 43.60

45.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$4.94 ZWL 125

-36.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.94 ZWL 49.10

23.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$5.10 ZWL 129

-39.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.60 ZWL 40.47

-20.63%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$20.2K ZWL 510.2K

53.15%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$23.3K ZWL 590.6K

-0.13%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$57.7 ZWL 1,460

42.16%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$17.80 ZWL 450

26.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$90.8 ZWL 2,297

-67.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$10.01 ZWL 253

-50.35%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$281 ZWL 7,117

-29.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$7,348 ZWL 185.9K

-28.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$19.23 ZWL 486

88.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$21.50 ZWL 544

86.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$35.08 ZWL 888

127.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$41.10 ZWL 1,040

116.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$60.3 ZWL 1,525

1498.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$294 ZWL 7,445

442.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$150 ZWL 3,802

704.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.31

-14.20%

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 Masvingo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $60.3 in Masvingo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $51.0 in Masvingo. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $219 in Masvingo – so Masvingo 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 Masvingo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $621 in Masvingo – roughly 107% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $932 in Masvingo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Masvingo, 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $621 in Masvingo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $281 in Masvingo. 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 Masvingo, where all-in costs run around $621, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Masvingo 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 $621 in Masvingo to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Masvingo. 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.