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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $616 in Shurugwi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $991 in Shurugwi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,365 in Shurugwi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 110% more than Shurugwi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Shurugwi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Shurugwi 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$9.83 ZWL 262

19.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$40.27 ZWL 1,075

3.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$6.90 ZWL 184

50.87%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$1.73 ZWL 46.28

108.67%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.71 ZWL 18.90

105.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.46 ZWL 12.32

110.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.54 ZWL 41.07

89.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$1.96 ZWL 52.4

135.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.64 ZWL 43.66

-12.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$0.98 ZWL 26.25

93.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.90 ZWL 50.7

-17.37%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.15 ZWL 57.4

22.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$10.75 ZWL 287

-21.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$6.55 ZWL 175

30.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$6.51 ZWL 174

68.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$3.03 ZWL 81.0

-10.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.71 ZWL 45.55

-11.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$2.21 ZWL 58.9

-13.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.72 ZWL 45.81

26.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.55 ZWL 41.35

20.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$2.00 ZWL 53.3

11.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.97 ZWL 25.76

11.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.01 ZWL 26.87

5.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$1.12 ZWL 29.90

271.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$9.25 ZWL 247

11.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.16 ZWL 31.05

44.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.80 ZWL 47.94

40.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$5.08 ZWL 136

-37.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.94 ZWL 51.8

26.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$5.08 ZWL 135

-37.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.53 ZWL 40.95

-13.73%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$19.8K ZWL 529.2K

52.07%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$23.4K ZWL 624.0K

0.06%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$58.8 ZWL 1,570

38.35%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$17.54 ZWL 468

27.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$93.6 ZWL 2,499

-67.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$9.88 ZWL 264

-47.77%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$275 ZWL 7,338

-26.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$7,201 ZWL 192.2K

-26.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$19.30 ZWL 515

84.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$21.20 ZWL 566

90.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$34.99 ZWL 934

124.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$40.24 ZWL 1,074

115.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Shurugwi: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.00 in Shurugwi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $222 – 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 110%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $924 in Shurugwi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $616 in Shurugwi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $275 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 $616, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.