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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $615 in Shurugwi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $990 in Shurugwi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,364 in Shurugwi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 109% more than Shurugwi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$9.81 ZWL 248

21.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$40.49 ZWL 1,024

5.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.14 ZWL 181

48.32%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.73 ZWL 43.75

109.25%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.72 ZWL 18.18

104.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.44 ZWL 11.13

113.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.47 ZWL 37.08

110.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.05 ZWL 51.9

117.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.56 ZWL 39.45

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.97 ZWL 24.55

93.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.89 ZWL 47.83

-13.76%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.11 ZWL 53.3

25.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$10.79 ZWL 273

-23.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.54 ZWL 165

26.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$6.32 ZWL 160

75.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.90 ZWL 73.5

-8.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.67 ZWL 42.28

-10.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.21 ZWL 55.8

-9.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.70 ZWL 42.99

22.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.55 ZWL 39.20

15.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.98 ZWL 50.1

10.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.02 ZWL 25.76

5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.93 ZWL 23.65

11.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$1.07 ZWL 27.17

271.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$8.57 ZWL 217

19.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.12 ZWL 28.35

54.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.72 ZWL 43.47

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

$5.03 ZWL 127

-37.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$2.05 ZWL 51.8

17.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$4.85 ZWL 123

-36.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.62 ZWL 40.96

-21.60%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$20.0K ZWL 505.5K

54.56%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$23.2K ZWL 586.4K

0.59%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$58.9 ZWL 1,491

39.19%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$17.53 ZWL 444

28.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$91.3 ZWL 2,311

-67.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$10.05 ZWL 254

-50.55%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$273 ZWL 6,905

-27.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$7,340 ZWL 185.7K

-28.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$19.75 ZWL 500

84.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$21.09 ZWL 534

89.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$35.20 ZWL 891

126.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$39.81 ZWL 1,007

123.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

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 Shurugwi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.00 in Shurugwi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $217 – 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 109%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $923 in Shurugwi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $615 in Shurugwi. 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 $273 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 $615, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.