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 $1,245 per month in Windhoek vs $1,325 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,066 per month in Windhoek vs $2,355 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,886 per month in Windhoek vs $3,384 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Windhoek is about 6% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Windhoek and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Windhoek 8% lower, Playa del Carmen 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.62 NAD 188

$12.87 MX$219

-9.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.9 NAD 855

$47.29 MX$805

11.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 NAD 95.4

$12.79 MX$218

-53.87%

Cappuccino

$2.33 NAD 37.60

$3.96 MX$67.4

-41.16%

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

$0.87 NAD 13.98

$1.43 MX$24.31

-39.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 NAD 15.41

$0.83 MX$14.06

14.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 NAD 29.52

$3.03 MX$51.6

-39.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 NAD 32.03

$6.96 MX$118

-71.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 NAD 25.26

$1.69 MX$28.80

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 NAD 15.95

$2.13 MX$36.26

-53.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 NAD 35.09

$1.69 MX$28.73

28.40%

Eggs

$3.16 NAD 51.0

$2.76 MX$46.95

14.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.75 NAD 158

$9.19 MX$156

6.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.88 NAD 111

$9.03 MX$154

-23.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.68 NAD 124

$12.39 MX$211

-38.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 NAD 37.54

$3.09 MX$52.6

-24.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 NAD 31.77

$1.55 MX$26.31

27.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 NAD 31.27

$2.14 MX$36.49

-9.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 NAD 36.40

$2.20 MX$37.50

2.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 NAD 34.75

$2.05 MX$34.91

4.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 NAD 29.89

$2.03 MX$34.58

-8.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 NAD 32.40

$1.22 MX$20.79

63.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 NAD 19.54

$1.14 MX$19.36

6.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 NAD 53.4

$4.62 MX$78.6

-28.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.31 NAD 118

$10.60 MX$180

-31.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 NAD 23.23

$1.64 MX$27.90

-12.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 NAD 23.49

$2.94 MX$49.98

-50.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 NAD 12.72

$0.61 MX$10.30

29.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.97 NAD 792

$29.50 MX$502

66.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 NAD 12.46

$5.31 MX$90.3

-85.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 NAD 15.71

$3.73 MX$63.4

-73.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.22 NAD 262

$5.79 MX$98.5

180.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 NAD 22.78

$1.58 MX$26.82

-10.76%

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

$24.8K NAD 400.9K

$22.4K MX$381.7K

10.58%

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

$29.4K NAD 474.6K

$25.4K MX$432.3K

15.60%

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

$142 NAD 2,291

$90.7 MX$1,543

56.32%

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

$27.98 NAD 452

$23.03 MX$392

21.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.61 NAD 786

$31.71 MX$540

53.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.51 NAD 623

$67.1 MX$1,142

-42.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.65 NAD 172

$29.14 MX$496

-63.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 NAD 89.6

$5.05 MX$86.0

9.70%

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

$210 NAD 3,402

$222 MX$3,770

-4.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,465 NAD 88.3K

$4,223 MX$71.9K

29.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 NAD 926

$45.56 MX$775

25.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.53 NAD 574

$44.06 MX$750

-19.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 NAD 1,479

$96.3 MX$1,639

-4.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 NAD 1,621

$93.3 MX$1,587

7.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$551 NAD 8,904

$1,074 MX$18.3K

-48.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 NAD 6,205

$402 MX$6,845

-4.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 NAD 19.2K

$1,908 MX$32.5K

-37.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$986 NAD 15.9K

$1,259 MX$21.4K

-21.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,616 NAD 26.1K

$4,093 MX$69.7K

-60.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$613 NAD 9,910

$6,594 MX$112.2K

-90.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,009 NAD 16.3K

$753 MX$12.8K

33.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.6

-1.55%

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

Last update for Windhoek: August 10, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $551 in Windhoek versus $1,074 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 34% 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 $53.0 in Windhoek versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $233 in Windhoek vs $274 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 6%, 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 $1,868 per month in Windhoek and $1,988 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 $1,245 in Windhoek and $1,325 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 66% 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 $1,245, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,325. 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.