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

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

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

Windhoek is about 15% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.55 NAD 172

$11.73 MX$203

-10.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.77 NAD 630

$41.62 MX$720

-6.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 NAD 87.0

$10.64 MX$184

-49.72%

Cappuccino

$1.94 NAD 31.53

$3.52 MX$60.9

-44.89%

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

$0.96 NAD 15.57

$1.51 MX$26.12

-36.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 NAD 15.37

$0.97 MX$16.84

-2.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 NAD 30.25

$2.95 MX$51.0

-36.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 NAD 37.01

$4.45 MX$77.0

-48.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 NAD 23.51

$1.38 MX$23.93

5.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 NAD 13.94

$1.89 MX$32.72

-54.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 NAD 27.04

$1.64 MX$28.32

1.22%

Eggs

$2.80 NAD 45.47

$2.51 MX$43.34

11.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.21 NAD 101

$8.34 MX$144

-25.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 NAD 86.6

$8.34 MX$144

-36.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.79 NAD 110

$10.73 MX$186

-36.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 NAD 30.16

$2.60 MX$45.04

-28.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 NAD 30.84

$1.46 MX$25.20

30.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 NAD 27.87

$1.90 MX$32.87

-9.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 NAD 28.70

$2.08 MX$35.91

-14.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 NAD 33.17

$1.78 MX$30.71

14.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 NAD 29.47

$2.19 MX$37.80

-17.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 NAD 30.54

$1.04 MX$17.99

80.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 NAD 18.59

$1.08 MX$18.62

5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 NAD 45.70

$4.08 MX$70.6

-31.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.21 NAD 117

$10.32 MX$178

-30.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 NAD 21.80

$1.71 MX$29.61

-21.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 NAD 30.03

$2.58 MX$44.54

-28.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 NAD 11.34

$0.51 MX$8.81

37.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.64 NAD 661

$26.46 MX$458

53.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 NAD 11.12

$3.26 MX$56.4

-79.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NAD 11.89

$2.49 MX$43.09

-70.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.51 NAD 187

$3.25 MX$56.2

254.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 NAD 19.93

$1.31 MX$22.61

-6.11%

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

$21.2K NAD 344.2K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-30.04%

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

$24.0K NAD 389.7K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

2.35%

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

$116 NAD 1,893

$82.9 MX$1,433

40.57%

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

$17.47 NAD 284

$22.22 MX$384

-21.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.0 NAD 828

$29.34 MX$507

73.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.28 NAD 606

$51.6 MX$893

-27.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.37 NAD 217

$18.32 MX$317

-27.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.42 NAD 88.1

$5.07 MX$87.6

6.90%

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

$218 NAD 3,539

$201 MX$3,473

8.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,110 NAD 83.0K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-1.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 NAD 840

$36.92 MX$639

39.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.89 NAD 437

$39.79 MX$688

-32.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 NAD 1,451

$78.5 MX$1,357

13.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.2 NAD 1,353

$87.1 MX$1,506

-4.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 NAD 7,970

$973 MX$16.8K

-49.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 NAD 6,326

$468 MX$8,090

-16.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 NAD 20.4K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-23.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 NAD 15.4K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-22.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,660 NAD 27.0K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-57.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$616 NAD 10.0K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-90.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 NAD 16.8K

$664 MX$11.5K

56.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.69

11.42

2.36%

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

Last update for Windhoek: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Windhoek versus $973 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 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 $39.00 in Windhoek versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $249 – 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

Windhoek vs Playa del Carmen: 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 $1,663 per month in Windhoek and $1,945 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 $1,108 in Windhoek and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. 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.