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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $886 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,468 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,050 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 42% 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

$11.72 MX$203

$10.02 ZWL 267

16.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$45.70 ZWL 1,219

-8.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$5.82 ZWL 155

-38.32%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.98 ZWL 26.10

54.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.51 ZWL 13.74

80.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.77 ZWL 47.18

67.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.97 ZWL 52.6

-28.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.02 ZWL 27.25

84.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$2.04 ZWL 54.3

-23.53%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.51 ZWL 93.8

-25.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$2.53 ZWL 67.4

228.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.02 ZWL 161

38.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.99 ZWL 213

35.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.06 ZWL 81.6

-11.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.98 ZWL 79.5

-49.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$3.06 ZWL 81.7

-38.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$4.08 ZWL 109

-46.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.94 ZWL 51.8

14.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.98 ZWL 52.7

-45.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.48 ZWL 39.50

-26.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$1.35 ZWL 35.90

210.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$19.76 ZWL 527

-47.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.85 ZWL 22.77

-36.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.02 ZWL 27.21

135.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.84 ZWL 49.09

-28.80%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$24.64 ZWL 657

229.87%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$25.40 ZWL 678

-11.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$68.9 ZWL 1,837

-56.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$59.4 ZWL 1,585

-10.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$14.90 ZWL 397

23.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$19.68 ZWL 525

-75.00%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$98.7 ZWL 2,632

103.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$6,018 ZWL 160.6K

-14.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$14.89 ZWL 397

141.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$24.84 ZWL 663

61.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$59.0 ZWL 1,575

35.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$44.59 ZWL 1,190

93.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$252 ZWL 6,728

287.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$179 ZWL 4,787

162.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$500 ZWL 13.4K

229.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$351 ZWL 9,359

243.06%

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

$804 ZWL 21.5K

-15.88%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Victoria Falls: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 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 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $46.00 in Victoria Falls. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $249 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 42%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,329 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $886 in Victoria Falls. 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 $98.7 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 $886, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.