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

🙂 Solo nomad: Lusaka is 22.9% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 32.4% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Lusaka is 7.4% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 32.7% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lusaka
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.31 ZMW 180
$11.99 MX$227
-39.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.24 ZMW 621
$42.47 MX$803
-40.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.65 ZMW 89.8
$10.47 MX$198
-65.14%
Cappuccino
$1.94 ZMW 47.7
$3.6 MX$68.2
-46.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 ZMW 17.91
$1.44 MX$27.16
-49.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34 ZMW 8.36
$0.89 MX$16.79
-61.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.88 ZMW 21.69
$3.09 MX$58.5
-71.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 ZMW 45.19
$4.58 MX$86.6
-59.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lusaka
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.27 ZMW 31.34
$1.38 MX$26.04
-7.97%
White Bread (500g)
$0.8 ZMW 19.66
$1.85 MX$34.9
-56.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.66 ZMW 40.9
$1.57 MX$29.68
5.73%
Eggs
$1.79 ZMW 44.03
$2.55 MX$48.3
-29.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.84 ZMW 193
$8.61 MX$163
-8.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.81 ZMW 93.7
$8.54 MX$161
-55.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.73 ZMW 116
$10.98 MX$208
-56.92%
Apples (1kg)
$2.49 ZMW 61.2
$2.72 MX$51.4
-8.46%
Banana (1kg)
$1.66 ZMW 40.93
$1.51 MX$28.57
9.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.79 ZMW 68.6
$1.88 MX$35.63
48.40%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.12 ZMW 27.52
$2.19 MX$41.42
-48.86%
Potato (1kg)
$1.87 ZMW 46.08
$1.87 MX$35.3
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ZMW 33.86
$2.19 MX$41.37
-36.99%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.93 ZMW 22.89
$1.07 MX$20.23
-13.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ZMW 12.01
$1.09 MX$20.64
-55.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.43 ZMW 59.7
$3.96 MX$74.9
-38.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.7 ZMW 165
$8.86 MX$167
-24.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 ZMW 26.83
$1.72 MX$32.53
-36.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 ZMW 38.64
$2.61 MX$49.37
-39.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Lusaka
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.02 ZMW 25.19
$0.52 MX$9.74
96.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$38.27 ZMW 942
$26.59 MX$503
43.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.67 ZMW 65.6
$3.24 MX$61.2
-17.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.15 ZMW 28.23
$2.38 MX$44.94
-51.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.45 ZMW 232
$3.11 MX$58.7
203.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.2 ZMW 29.51
$1.31 MX$24.85
-8.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$8,101 ZMW 199.3K
$30.3K MX$573K
-73.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.1K ZMW 692K
$24K MX$453.6K
17.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lusaka
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$91.5 ZMW 2,250
$84.2 MX$1,592
8.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$53.1 ZMW 1,305
$22.14 MX$419
139.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$127 ZMW 3,118
$30.14 MX$570
320.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lusaka
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.64 ZMW 1,123
$52 MX$983
-12.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.97 ZMW 344
$18.72 MX$354
-25.37%
Cinema Ticket
$4.13 ZMW 102
$5.07 MX$95.9
-18.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lusaka
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$174 ZMW 4,278
$200 MX$3,787
-13.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,526 ZMW 234.3K
$5,333 MX$100.8K
78.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lusaka
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.76 ZMW 461
$35.74 MX$676
-47.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.25 ZMW 424
$39.8 MX$753
-56.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.2 ZMW 2,072
$79 MX$1,493
6.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.2 ZMW 1,775
$88.4 MX$1,671
-18.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lusaka
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$223 ZMW 5,475
$965 MX$18.3K
-76.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$124 ZMW 3,052
$474 MX$8,968
-73.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,034 ZMW 25.4K
$1,653 MX$31.2K
-37.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$605 ZMW 14.9K
$1,202 MX$22.7K
-49.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,020 ZMW 49.7K
$3,081 MX$58.3K
-34.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,856 ZMW 119.5K
$7,529 MX$142.3K
-35.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lusaka
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$314 ZMW 7,714
$792 MX$15K
-60.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
25
11.42
118.91%

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

Last update for Lusaka: October 27, 2025

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 28, 2025

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