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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,248 in Windhoek, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,121 in Windhoek, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,993 in Windhoek, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 5% more than Windhoek, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Windhoek are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Windhoek 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$11.83 NAD 191

1.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$62.0 NAD 999

-23.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$6.14 NAD 98.8

91.37%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.35 NAD 37.85

75.32%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.97 NAD 15.67

44.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.95 NAD 15.22

-4.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.09 NAD 33.67

53.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.30 NAD 37.09

207.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.67 NAD 26.89

0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.96 NAD 15.47

123.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$2.20 NAD 35.41

-19.55%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$3.20 NAD 51.5

-11.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$9.62 NAD 155

-4.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.75 NAD 109

36.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$7.74 NAD 125

63.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.23 NAD 35.91

32.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$2.04 NAD 32.92

-22.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.97 NAD 31.69

12.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$2.20 NAD 35.51

7.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$2.20 NAD 35.37

-9.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.87 NAD 30.06

5.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$2.03 NAD 32.70

-38.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.16 NAD 18.66

4.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$3.53 NAD 56.9

30.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$7.24 NAD 117

45.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.49 NAD 24.04

13.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.49 NAD 23.94

85.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.78 NAD 12.49

-23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$49.63 NAD 799

-40.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.77 NAD 12.40

580.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.99 NAD 15.89

268.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$16.52 NAD 266

-65.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.36 NAD 21.89

13.24%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$25.2K NAD 405.5K

-9.43%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$29.8K NAD 479.8K

-13.35%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$145 NAD 2,337

-37.51%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$28.35 NAD 457

-11.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$49.53 NAD 798

-35.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$38.35 NAD 618

79.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$10.89 NAD 175

169.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$5.66 NAD 91.2

-14.13%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$215 NAD 3,456

5.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$5,479 NAD 88.3K

-23.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$56.6 NAD 912

-16.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$36.21 NAD 583

19.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$93.3 NAD 1,503

-14.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$99.8 NAD 1,607

-8.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$541 NAD 8,718

100.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$382 NAD 6,155

6.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,181 NAD 19.0K

66.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$994 NAD 16.0K

28.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,677 NAD 27.0K

141.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$636 NAD 10.2K

954.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$1,050 NAD 16.9K

-26.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

11.42

0.26%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Windhoek: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $541 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 36% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $62.0 in Windhoek. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $233 in Windhoek – so Windhoek 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 Windhoek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 5%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,873 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,248 in Windhoek. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 67% 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 $1,248, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.