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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Windhoek is about 4% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 NAD 191

$11.96 MX$203

-1.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.0 NAD 999

$47.38 MX$804

30.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 NAD 98.8

$11.75 MX$199

-47.74%

Cappuccino

$2.35 NAD 37.85

$4.12 MX$70.0

-42.96%

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

$0.97 NAD 15.67

$1.40 MX$23.74

-30.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 NAD 15.22

$0.91 MX$15.48

4.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 NAD 33.67

$3.21 MX$54.4

-34.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 NAD 37.09

$7.07 MX$120

-67.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 NAD 26.89

$1.68 MX$28.44

-0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 NAD 15.47

$2.15 MX$36.48

-55.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 NAD 35.41

$1.77 MX$30.10

24.29%

Eggs

$3.20 NAD 51.5

$2.82 MX$47.76

13.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.62 NAD 155

$9.20 MX$156

4.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.75 NAD 109

$9.23 MX$157

-26.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.74 NAD 125

$12.64 MX$214

-38.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 NAD 35.91

$2.95 MX$50.1

-24.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 NAD 32.92

$1.58 MX$26.79

29.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 NAD 31.69

$2.22 MX$37.70

-11.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 NAD 35.51

$2.36 MX$40.09

-6.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 NAD 35.37

$1.99 MX$33.81

10.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 NAD 30.06

$1.98 MX$33.58

-5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 NAD 32.70

$1.24 MX$21.04

63.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 NAD 18.66

$1.21 MX$20.55

-4.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 NAD 56.9

$4.60 MX$78.1

-23.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.24 NAD 117

$10.52 MX$178

-31.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 NAD 24.04

$1.69 MX$28.70

-11.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 NAD 23.94

$2.77 MX$47.06

-46.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 NAD 12.49

$0.60 MX$10.22

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.63 NAD 799

$29.70 MX$504

67.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 NAD 12.40

$5.24 MX$88.8

-85.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 NAD 15.89

$3.65 MX$61.9

-72.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.52 NAD 266

$5.78 MX$98.1

185.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 NAD 21.89

$1.54 MX$26.09

-11.69%

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

$25.2K NAD 405.5K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

10.42%

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

$29.8K NAD 479.8K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

15.40%

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

$145 NAD 2,337

$90.7 MX$1,538

60.02%

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

$28.35 NAD 457

$25.19 MX$427

12.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.53 NAD 798

$31.75 MX$539

56.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.35 NAD 618

$68.8 MX$1,167

-44.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.89 NAD 175

$29.37 MX$498

-62.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.66 NAD 91.2

$4.86 MX$82.5

16.46%

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

$215 NAD 3,456

$226 MX$3,828

-4.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,479 NAD 88.3K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

30.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 NAD 912

$47.38 MX$804

19.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.21 NAD 583

$43.45 MX$737

-16.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 NAD 1,503

$80.2 MX$1,361

16.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 NAD 1,607

$91.4 MX$1,550

9.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$541 NAD 8,718

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-50.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 NAD 6,155

$409 MX$6,933

-6.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 NAD 19.0K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-40.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$994 NAD 16.0K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-22.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,677 NAD 27.0K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-58.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$636 NAD 10.2K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-90.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,050 NAD 16.9K

$773 MX$13.1K

35.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.45

-0.26%

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

Last update for Windhoek: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $541 in Windhoek versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $62.0 in Windhoek versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $233 in Windhoek vs $278 in Playa del Carmen – 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

Windhoek vs Playa del Carmen: 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 $1,873 per month in Windhoek and $1,958 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,248 in Windhoek and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. 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.