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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $742 in Ndola, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,740 in Ndola, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,738 in Ndola, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 69% more than Ndola, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ndola are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Ndola 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$7.08 ZMW 129

69.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$25.36 ZMW 462

64.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.68 ZMW 67.0

192.12%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.96 ZMW 35.69

78.57%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.35 ZMW 6.34

314.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.18 ZMW 3.25

388.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$0.88 ZMW 15.98

235.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.74 ZMW 31.67

159.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.30 ZMW 23.62

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.79 ZMW 14.39

132.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.65 ZMW 29.99

-4.85%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.32 ZMW 24.09

90.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$7.82 ZMW 142

5.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.95 ZMW 71.9

113.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$4.67 ZMW 85.0

128.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.23 ZMW 22.38

112.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.60 ZMW 29.19

-10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.67 ZMW 48.58

-26.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.17 ZMW 21.31

78.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.82 ZMW 33.14

1.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.32 ZMW 24.10

64.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.86 ZMW 15.57

19.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.52 ZMW 9.46

105.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.55 ZMW 46.49

60.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$10.79 ZMW 196

-5.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.09 ZMW 19.93

54.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.58 ZMW 28.83

60.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.56 ZMW 10.19

-8.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.85 ZMW 33.69

74.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$9.45 ZMW 172

-65.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.23 ZMW 22.37

7.32%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$7,861 ZMW 143.1K

277.77%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$28.0K ZMW 510.0K

-15.55%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$91.3 ZMW 1,662

-10.19%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$36.46 ZMW 664

-37.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$123 ZMW 2,241

-75.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.25 ZMW 77.3

17.18%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$178 ZMW 3,240

10.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$9,526 ZMW 173.4K

-43.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$18.59 ZMW 338

91.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$17.17 ZMW 312

134.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$84.8 ZMW 1,543

-7.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$73.2 ZMW 1,333

21.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$126 ZMW 2,295

651.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$109 ZMW 1,979

335.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$276 ZMW 5,020

495.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$1,485 ZMW 27.0K

-18.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$608 ZMW 11.1K

7.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-54.32%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ndola: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $126 in Ndola. 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 8% 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 $25.00 in Ndola. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $170 – making Ndola 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 Ndola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 69%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,113 in Ndola. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $25.00 in Ndola. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ndola, where all-in costs run around $742, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Ndola it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ndola – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Ndola. 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.