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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $902 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,450 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,997 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 41% 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 5% lower, Victoria Falls 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$10.09 ZWL 270

17.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$45.80 ZWL 1,226

-6.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$6.15 ZWL 165

-43.90%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.97 ZWL 26.03

54.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.48 ZWL 12.75

97.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.76 ZWL 47.22

72.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.96 ZWL 52.5

-29.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.99 ZWL 26.44

86.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.95 ZWL 52.1

-17.44%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.59 ZWL 96.0

-27.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$2.44 ZWL 65.4

238.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.94 ZWL 159

40.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$8.14 ZWL 218

30.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.91 ZWL 78.0

-9.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.93 ZWL 78.6

-49.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.97 ZWL 79.6

-35.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$3.90 ZWL 104

-46.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.97 ZWL 52.8

14.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$2.02 ZWL 54.2

-47.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.54 ZWL 41.33

-29.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$1.33 ZWL 35.71

212.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$20.30 ZWL 543

-48.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.92 ZWL 24.57

-41.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.97 ZWL 26.02

158.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.82 ZWL 48.67

-30.22%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$25.06 ZWL 671

231.21%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$25.46 ZWL 681

-10.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$66.8 ZWL 1,789

-55.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$60.6 ZWL 1,622

-15.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$14.84 ZWL 397

23.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$20.20 ZWL 541

-75.59%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$101 ZWL 2,708

95.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$5,939 ZWL 159.0K

-11.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$14.79 ZWL 396

149.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$24.75 ZWL 662

61.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$58.9 ZWL 1,576

35.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$44.10 ZWL 1,181

102.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$253 ZWL 6,764

278.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$181 ZWL 4,843

163.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$509 ZWL 13.6K

223.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$346 ZWL 9,263

253.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$791 ZWL 21.2K

-15.66%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Victoria Falls: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 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 19% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $46.00 in Victoria Falls. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $248 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 41%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,353 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $902 in Victoria Falls. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $101 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 $902, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.