Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Victoria Falls Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Victoria Falls

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $909 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,471 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,033 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 39% more than Victoria Falls, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Victoria Falls are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Victoria Falls 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$10.07 ZWL 270

15.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$44.16 ZWL 1,183

6.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$5.92 ZWL 159

-32.77%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.02 ZWL 27.32

40.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.48 ZWL 12.75

70.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$4.98 ZWL 133

-35.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.98 ZWL 53.2

-15.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.97 ZWL 26.11

126.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.94 ZWL 52.0

-11.86%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$3.55 ZWL 95.1

-22.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$2.53 ZWL 67.8

278.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.08 ZWL 163

48.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$8.03 ZWL 215

59.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.97 ZWL 79.7

-2.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$3.03 ZWL 81.2

-50.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.98 ZWL 79.8

-27.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.04 ZWL 108

-44.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.05 ZWL 55.0

-2.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.04 ZWL 54.7

-39.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.52 ZWL 40.67

-21.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$3.35 ZWL 89.7

35.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$20.10 ZWL 538

-48.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$1.97 ZWL 52.7

-69.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.02 ZWL 27.40

265.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.83 ZWL 49.15

-15.85%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$25.26 ZWL 677

261.76%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$24.69 ZWL 661

2.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$67.3 ZWL 1,803

-53.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$60.4 ZWL 1,618

11.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$15.13 ZWL 405

92.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$20.07 ZWL 538

-75.78%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$99.1 ZWL 2,655

125.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$5,911 ZWL 158.4K

-28.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$15.02 ZWL 402

213.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$25.41 ZWL 681

74.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$61.0 ZWL 1,633

31.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$44.78 ZWL 1,200

106.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$252 ZWL 6,740

322.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$181 ZWL 4,855

115.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$505 ZWL 13.5K

325.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$355 ZWL 9,508

258.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$805 ZWL 21.6K

-5.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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 Victoria Falls: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $252 in Victoria Falls. 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 6% higher in Victoria Falls, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Victoria Falls. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $249 – making Victoria Falls 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 Victoria Falls: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 39%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,363 in Victoria Falls. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $909 in Victoria Falls. 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 $99.1 in Victoria Falls. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Victoria Falls, where all-in costs run around $909, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Victoria Falls it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Victoria Falls – 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 Victoria Falls. 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.