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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $890 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,451 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,013 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 45% 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 4% lower, Victoria Falls 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$9.98 ZWL 252

19.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$44.91 ZWL 1,136

-4.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$6.10 ZWL 154

-40.66%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.99 ZWL 25.00

48.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.49 ZWL 12.36

91.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$1.70 ZWL 42.94

81.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.96 ZWL 49.53

-27.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$0.98 ZWL 24.85

91.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.94 ZWL 49.13

-15.98%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$3.52 ZWL 89.0

-25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$2.44 ZWL 61.7

236.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$6.08 ZWL 154

36.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$8.11 ZWL 205

36.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$3.04 ZWL 76.8

-12.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$3.04 ZWL 76.9

-50.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$3.03 ZWL 76.7

-34.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$4.04 ZWL 102

-48.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$2.06 ZWL 52.0

5.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.94 ZWL 49.13

-44.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$1.54 ZWL 38.98

-32.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$1.34 ZWL 33.80

196.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$19.71 ZWL 498

-48.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.89 ZWL 22.54

-41.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.99 ZWL 24.92

142.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.85 ZWL 46.86

-31.35%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$24.92 ZWL 630

229.09%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$25.48 ZWL 645

-11.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$68.4 ZWL 1,730

-56.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$60.8 ZWL 1,538

-14.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$14.80 ZWL 374

26.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$19.78 ZWL 500

-74.87%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$98.6 ZWL 2,493

100.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$5,919 ZWL 149.7K

-10.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$15.09 ZWL 382

140.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$25.33 ZWL 641

58.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$59.6 ZWL 1,508

33.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$44.40 ZWL 1,123

100.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$245 ZWL 6,206

292.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$182 ZWL 4,605

155.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$509 ZWL 12.9K

213.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$344 ZWL 8,698

251.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$791 ZWL 20.0K

-8.92%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Victoria Falls: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $245 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 10% 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 $45.00 in Victoria Falls. Groceries tell a different story – $251 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 45%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,334 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $890 in Victoria Falls. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $98.6 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 $890, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.