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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $621 in Shurugwi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $998 in Shurugwi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,376 in Shurugwi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 103% more than Shurugwi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Shurugwi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Shurugwi 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$9.93 ZWL 265

18.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$40.41 ZWL 1,078

3.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.03 ZWL 188

49.50%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.71 ZWL 45.51

109.94%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.66 ZWL 17.70

128.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.44 ZWL 11.62

109.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.46 ZWL 38.96

102.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.02 ZWL 53.9

118.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.60 ZWL 42.78

-12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.02 ZWL 27.26

84.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.87 ZWL 49.78

-16.58%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.06 ZWL 55.0

26.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$10.99 ZWL 293

-24.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.57 ZWL 175

27.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$6.22 ZWL 166

74.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.86 ZWL 76.4

-5.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.63 ZWL 43.48

-7.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.27 ZWL 60.6

-17.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.73 ZWL 46.16

26.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.50 ZWL 39.92

24.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.99 ZWL 53.2

12.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.03 ZWL 27.52

3.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.01 ZWL 26.86

7.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$1.07 ZWL 28.48

291.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$9.53 ZWL 254

9.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.16 ZWL 31.05

43.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.71 ZWL 45.55

52.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$5.02 ZWL 134

-38.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.98 ZWL 52.7

21.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$4.94 ZWL 132

-36.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.55 ZWL 41.35

-15.48%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$20.2K ZWL 538.1K

47.78%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$23.7K ZWL 632.9K

-1.68%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$59.3 ZWL 1,581

37.16%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$17.48 ZWL 466

29.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$90.9 ZWL 2,426

-66.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$10.16 ZWL 271

-51.57%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$278 ZWL 7,425

-27.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$7,397 ZWL 197.4K

-30.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$19.76 ZWL 527

81.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$21.45 ZWL 572

87.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$35.15 ZWL 938

126.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$40.00 ZWL 1,067

116.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Shurugwi: July 26, 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: $252 vs $221 – 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 103%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $932 in Shurugwi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $621 in Shurugwi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $278 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 $621, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.