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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $872 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,427 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,983 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 48% 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 3% lower, Victoria Falls 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$10.07 ZWL 269

16.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$44.91 ZWL 1,199

-6.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$6.11 ZWL 163

-40.92%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.97 ZWL 25.91

50.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.49 ZWL 12.99

97.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.77 ZWL 47.28

64.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$2.06 ZWL 55.0

-30.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$0.99 ZWL 26.40

91.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$2.05 ZWL 54.7

-23.41%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$3.56 ZWL 95.1

-25.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$2.49 ZWL 66.4

238.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$6.07 ZWL 162

41.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$8.16 ZWL 218

34.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$2.95 ZWL 78.8

-8.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$2.96 ZWL 79.0

-48.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$3.06 ZWL 81.6

-37.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$3.98 ZWL 106

-45.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$2.01 ZWL 53.8

10.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$2.04 ZWL 54.5

-47.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.53 ZWL 40.91

-30.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$1.27 ZWL 33.98

227.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$19.80 ZWL 528

-48.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.84 ZWL 22.35

-34.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.99 ZWL 26.35

148.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.75 ZWL 46.64

-24.57%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$24.72 ZWL 660

229.09%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$25.02 ZWL 668

-10.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$66.9 ZWL 1,785

-55.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$59.4 ZWL 1,584

-13.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$15.01 ZWL 401

22.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$19.84 ZWL 529

-73.99%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$102 ZWL 2,719

98.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$5,892 ZWL 157.3K

-9.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$14.81 ZWL 395

140.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$25.25 ZWL 674

59.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$60.7 ZWL 1,619

29.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$44.91 ZWL 1,199

93.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$253 ZWL 6,741

276.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$180 ZWL 4,796

166.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$507 ZWL 13.5K

219.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$356 ZWL 9,509

243.20%

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

$788 ZWL 21.0K

-14.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Victoria Falls: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $253 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 17% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Victoria Falls. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Playa del Carmen vs $250 in Victoria Falls – so Victoria Falls wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 48%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,308 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $872 in Victoria Falls. 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 $102 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 $872, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.