Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Windhoek Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Windhoek

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,108 in Windhoek, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,797 in Windhoek, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,485 in Windhoek, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 17% more than Windhoek, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Windhoek are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Windhoek 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$10.55 NAD 172

11.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$38.77 NAD 633

7.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.35 NAD 87.4

98.88%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.94 NAD 31.67

81.44%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.96 NAD 15.64

57.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.95 NAD 15.44

2.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.86 NAD 30.38

58.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.28 NAD 37.18

95.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.45 NAD 23.62

-4.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.86 NAD 14.00

119.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.66 NAD 27.16

-1.20%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.80 NAD 45.68

-10.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.21 NAD 101

34.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$5.33 NAD 87.0

56.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.79 NAD 111

58.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.86 NAD 30.30

39.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.90 NAD 30.98

-23.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.72 NAD 28.00

10.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.77 NAD 28.83

17.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.04 NAD 33.31

-12.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.81 NAD 29.60

20.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.88 NAD 30.68

-44.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.14 NAD 18.67

-5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$2.81 NAD 45.90

45.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$7.21 NAD 118

43.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.34 NAD 21.90

27.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.85 NAD 30.16

39.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.70 NAD 11.39

-27.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$40.64 NAD 663

-34.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.68 NAD 11.17

379.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.73 NAD 11.95

241.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$11.51 NAD 188

-71.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.23 NAD 20.02

6.50%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$21.2K NAD 345.8K

42.94%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$24.0K NAD 391.5K

-2.29%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$116 NAD 1,902

-28.86%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$17.47 NAD 285

27.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$51.0 NAD 832

-42.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$37.28 NAD 609

38.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$13.37 NAD 218

37.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$5.42 NAD 88.5

-6.46%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$218 NAD 3,555

-7.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$5,110 NAD 83.4K

1.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$51.7 NAD 843

-28.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$26.89 NAD 439

47.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$89.3 NAD 1,458

-12.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$83.2 NAD 1,359

4.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$490 NAD 8,006

98.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$389 NAD 6,354

20.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,257 NAD 20.5K

30.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$950 NAD 15.5K

28.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,660 NAD 27.1K

137.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$616 NAD 10.1K

954.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,037 NAD 16.9K

-35.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.69

-2.31%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Windhoek: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $490 in Windhoek. 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 56% higher in Windhoek, 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 $39.00 in Windhoek. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $199 – making Windhoek 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 Windhoek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,663 in Windhoek. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Windhoek, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,108 in Windhoek. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 54% less in Windhoek. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Windhoek, where all-in costs run around $1,108, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Windhoek it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Windhoek – 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 Windhoek. 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.