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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $907 in Lusaka versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,534 in Lusaka versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,161 in Lusaka versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lusaka costs roughly 30% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lusaka 34% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.70 ZMW 109

$11.71 MX$198

-51.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.91 ZMW 609

$46.59 MX$788

-31.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ZMW 101

$11.65 MX$197

-54.42%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ZMW 57.0

$4.09 MX$69.2

-27.14%

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

$0.82 ZMW 15.73

$1.37 MX$23.23

-40.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZMW 9.02

$0.83 MX$14.09

-43.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ZMW 25.95

$3.35 MX$56.7

-59.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ZMW 44.68

$6.91 MX$117

-66.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ZMW 35.53

$1.73 MX$29.20

7.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ZMW 23.79

$2.26 MX$38.21

-44.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ZMW 41.74

$1.77 MX$29.91

23.73%

Eggs

$2.05 ZMW 39.17

$2.73 MX$46.19

-24.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ZMW 205

$9.18 MX$155

17.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 ZMW 125

$8.92 MX$151

-26.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 ZMW 129

$12.60 MX$213

-46.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ZMW 67.9

$3.02 MX$51.1

17.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 ZMW 47.66

$1.57 MX$26.55

59.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 ZMW 71.0

$2.13 MX$35.93

74.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 30.34

$2.26 MX$38.28

-29.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 ZMW 52.3

$2.00 MX$33.88

37.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 ZMW 37.63

$2.06 MX$34.90

-4.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ZMW 21.91

$1.18 MX$19.94

-2.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ZMW 15.77

$1.20 MX$20.35

-30.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ZMW 61.4

$4.63 MX$78.4

-30.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 ZMW 201

$10.69 MX$181

-1.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ZMW 28.18

$1.62 MX$27.38

-8.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ZMW 47.26

$2.88 MX$48.70

-14.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ZMW 19.56

$0.57 MX$9.69

78.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.1 ZMW 995

$29.83 MX$504

74.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 ZMW 51.1

$5.45 MX$92.1

-51.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ZMW 29.78

$3.70 MX$62.6

-57.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 ZMW 99.9

$5.98 MX$101

-12.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 ZMW 30.13

$1.55 MX$26.26

1.94%

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

$7,791 ZMW 148.8K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

-65.11%

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

$27.7K ZMW 529.1K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

6.75%

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

$83.7 ZMW 1,598

$89.1 MX$1,507

-6.15%

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

$11.07 ZMW 211

$25.04 MX$423

-55.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 ZMW 1,083

$31.50 MX$532

80.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ZMW 1,076

$67.8 MX$1,146

-16.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.97 ZMW 305

$28.92 MX$489

-44.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 ZMW 122

$5.05 MX$85.4

26.14%

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

$147 ZMW 2,802

$225 MX$3,803

-34.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ZMW 317.2K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

293.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.76 ZMW 473

$47.44 MX$802

-47.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.00 ZMW 306

$44.98 MX$760

-64.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.84 ZMW 914

$82.0 MX$1,386

-41.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.1 ZMW 1,472

$92.1 MX$1,557

-16.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 ZMW 7,424

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-63.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ZMW 3,492

$405 MX$6,852

-54.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ZMW 21.3K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-42.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ZMW 11.4K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-54.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,896 ZMW 36.2K

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-52.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,285 ZMW 100.9K

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-20.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$336 ZMW 6,414

$749 MX$12.7K

-55.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

153.28%

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

Last update for Lusaka: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $389 in Lusaka and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 123% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Lusaka vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $277 per month, with Lusaka cheaper across the board.

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

Lusaka vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lusaka and Playa del Carmen differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($907 vs $1,293 including rent). Lusaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 123% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $389 in Lusaka versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $907 per month in Lusaka versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lusaka runs roughly 75% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $907 in Lusaka versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lusaka but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Lusaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Lusaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.