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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,124 in Windhoek, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,850 in Windhoek, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,577 in Windhoek, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 12% more than Windhoek, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Windhoek are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Windhoek 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$10.46 NAD 172

14.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$731

$39.12 NAD 645

6.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$188

$5.42 NAD 89.4

98.34%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.1

$1.86 NAD 30.70

88.17%

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

$1.45 MX$25.33

$0.91 NAD 14.94

59.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.47

$0.97 NAD 15.93

-9.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.6

$1.80 NAD 29.61

63.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.9

$2.27 NAD 37.48

98.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.04

$1.44 NAD 23.71

-0.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.13

$0.82 NAD 13.52

124.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.42

$1.65 NAD 27.23

-4.85%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.92

$2.80 NAD 46.12

-10.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$6.28 NAD 104

31.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.38 NAD 88.8

56.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$6.58 NAD 108

62.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.62

$1.80 NAD 29.72

45.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.15

$1.98 NAD 32.58

-27.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.31

$1.62 NAD 26.74

20.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.62

$1.74 NAD 28.68

20.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.37

$2.00 NAD 32.92

-7.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.90

$1.81 NAD 29.85

19.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.04

$1.94 NAD 31.94

-46.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.78

$1.14 NAD 18.88

-6.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.7

$2.72 NAD 44.85

50.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$6.98 NAD 115

45.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.29

$1.40 NAD 23.03

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.17

$1.84 NAD 30.38

37.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$0.71 NAD 11.65

-28.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$455

$41.09 NAD 678

-36.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.5

$0.74 NAD 12.19

336.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.06

$0.67 NAD 11.03

259.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.5

$11.73 NAD 193

-72.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.10

$1.18 NAD 19.47

11.86%

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

$29.7K MX$519.2K

$21.1K NAD 348.7K

40.42%

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

$23.7K MX$413.7K

$24.4K NAD 402.3K

-3.02%

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

$82.0 MX$1,434

$119 NAD 1,960

-31.00%

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

$22.95 MX$401

$17.50 NAD 289

31.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$527

$50.1 NAD 827

-39.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$909

$36.62 NAD 604

41.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$324

$13.31 NAD 220

39.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.0

$5.23 NAD 86.2

-4.78%

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

$197 MX$3,452

$218 NAD 3,595

-9.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.3K

$5,275 NAD 87.0K

1.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$622

$51.3 NAD 846

-30.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$705

$26.72 NAD 441

50.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,377

$86.7 NAD 1,430

-9.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$81.2 NAD 1,338

9.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$494 NAD 8,146

91.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,288

$382 NAD 6,297

24.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.7K

$1,291 NAD 21.3K

27.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$921 NAD 15.2K

31.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.9K

$1,592 NAD 26.2K

154.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.1K

$627 NAD 10.3K

932.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$1,009 NAD 16.6K

-35.21%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Windhoek: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $494 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 54% 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 $198 – 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 12%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,686 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,124 in Windhoek. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 58% 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 $1,124, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.