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

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

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

Windhoek is about 11% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.46 NAD 172

$11.99 MX$210

-12.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.12 NAD 645

$41.78 MX$731

-6.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 NAD 89.4

$10.75 MX$188

-49.58%

Cappuccino

$1.86 NAD 30.70

$3.50 MX$61.1

-46.86%

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

$0.91 NAD 14.94

$1.45 MX$25.33

-37.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 NAD 15.93

$0.88 MX$15.47

10.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 NAD 29.61

$2.95 MX$51.6

-38.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 NAD 37.48

$4.51 MX$78.9

-49.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 NAD 23.71

$1.43 MX$25.04

0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 NAD 13.52

$1.84 MX$32.13

-55.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 NAD 27.23

$1.57 MX$27.42

5.10%

Eggs

$2.80 NAD 46.12

$2.51 MX$43.92

11.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.28 NAD 104

$8.28 MX$145

-24.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 NAD 88.8

$8.43 MX$147

-36.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.58 NAD 108

$10.68 MX$187

-38.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 NAD 29.72

$2.61 MX$45.62

-31.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 NAD 32.58

$1.44 MX$25.15

37.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 NAD 26.74

$1.96 MX$34.31

-17.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 NAD 28.68

$2.09 MX$36.62

-16.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 NAD 32.92

$1.85 MX$32.37

8.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 NAD 29.85

$2.17 MX$37.90

-16.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 NAD 31.94

$1.03 MX$18.04

88.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 NAD 18.88

$1.07 MX$18.78

6.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 NAD 44.85

$4.10 MX$71.7

-33.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.98 NAD 115

$10.17 MX$178

-31.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 NAD 23.03

$1.68 MX$29.29

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 NAD 30.38

$2.53 MX$44.17

-27.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 NAD 11.65

$0.51 MX$8.90

39.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.09 NAD 678

$26.04 MX$455

57.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 NAD 12.19

$3.23 MX$56.5

-77.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 NAD 11.03

$2.41 MX$42.06

-72.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.73 NAD 193

$3.23 MX$56.5

263.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 NAD 19.47

$1.32 MX$23.10

-10.61%

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

$21.1K NAD 348.7K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-28.79%

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

$24.4K NAD 402.3K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

3.11%

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

$119 NAD 1,960

$82.0 MX$1,434

44.93%

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

$17.50 NAD 289

$22.95 MX$401

-23.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 NAD 827

$30.11 MX$527

66.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.62 NAD 604

$52.0 MX$909

-29.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.31 NAD 220

$18.53 MX$324

-28.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.23 NAD 86.2

$4.98 MX$87.0

5.02%

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

$218 NAD 3,595

$197 MX$3,452

10.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,275 NAD 87.0K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

-1.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 NAD 846

$35.60 MX$622

44.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.72 NAD 441

$40.33 MX$705

-33.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 NAD 1,430

$78.8 MX$1,377

10.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.2 NAD 1,338

$88.9 MX$1,555

-8.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 NAD 8,146

$947 MX$16.6K

-47.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 NAD 6,297

$474 MX$8,288

-19.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 NAD 21.3K

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-21.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$921 NAD 15.2K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-23.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,592 NAD 26.2K

$4,056 MX$70.9K

-60.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$627 NAD 10.3K

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-90.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,009 NAD 16.6K

$654 MX$11.4K

54.35%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $494 in Windhoek versus $947 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 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 $39.00 in Windhoek versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 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 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 $1,686 per month in Windhoek and $1,884 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 $1,124 in Windhoek and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. 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.