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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $580 in Shurugwi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $968 in Shurugwi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,357 in Shurugwi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 118% more than Shurugwi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Shurugwi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Shurugwi 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$9.87 ZWL 263

17.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$40.18 ZWL 1,071

17.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$6.09 ZWL 162

95.07%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$1.73 ZWL 46.17

130.06%

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

$1.43 MX$24.58

$0.94 ZWL 25.12

52.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.52 ZWL 13.98

57.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.54 ZWL 41.04

107.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.95 ZWL 52.0

248.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.86

$1.51 ZWL 40.25

11.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.84

$1.03 ZWL 27.34

113.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.42

$1.62 ZWL 43.16

5.56%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.21

$1.89 ZWL 50.3

44.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$11.81 ZWL 315

-18.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.72 ZWL 153

57.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$6.59 ZWL 176

94.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.75

$3.04 ZWL 81.0

-4.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.79

$1.62 ZWL 43.07

-7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.00

$2.08 ZWL 55.4

3.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.92

$1.47 ZWL 39.19

53.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.11

$1.72 ZWL 45.71

15.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.27

$1.78 ZWL 47.42

11.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.26

$1.22 ZWL 32.49

0.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.61

$1.00 ZWL 26.56

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.4

$1.94 ZWL 51.8

134.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$8.89 ZWL 237

16.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.37 ZWL 36.49

18.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.61

$2.00 ZWL 53.3

44.00%

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

$3.91 ZWL 104

37.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$1.97 ZWL 52.4

89.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.4

$5.06 ZWL 135

14.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.46

$1.77 ZWL 47.30

-12.99%

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

$22.5K MX$388.4K

$21.9K ZWL 583.0K

3.08%

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

$26.1K MX$448.8K

$27.1K ZWL 723.3K

-3.99%

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

$91.4 MX$1,574

$53.5 ZWL 1,425

70.90%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$21.84 ZWL 582

15.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$67.9 ZWL 1,810

-54.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,158

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$9.81 ZWL 261

-50.46%

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

$224 MX$3,852

$461 ZWL 12.3K

-51.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$8,861 ZWL 236.2K

-52.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$24.90 ZWL 663

89.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$20.90 ZWL 557

111.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,380

$39.93 ZWL 1,064

100.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$42.35 ZWL 1,129

118.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,721

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

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

13.69

-16.36%

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 Shurugwi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.00 in Shurugwi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $218 – making Shurugwi 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 Shurugwi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 118%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $870 in Shurugwi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $580 in Shurugwi. 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 $461 in Shurugwi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Shurugwi, where all-in costs run around $580, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Shurugwi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shurugwi – 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 Shurugwi. 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.