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: $876 in Lusaka versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,489 in Lusaka versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,103 in Lusaka versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lusaka costs roughly 32% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lusaka 35% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.11 ZMW 127

$11.73 MX$203

-39.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.96 ZMW 446

$41.62 MX$720

-40.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 ZMW 64.8

$10.64 MX$184

-65.88%

Cappuccino

$2.01 ZMW 35.86

$3.52 MX$60.9

-42.90%

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

$0.73 ZMW 13.05

$1.51 MX$26.12

-51.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ZMW 6.04

$0.97 MX$16.84

-64.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 ZMW 17.05

$2.95 MX$51.0

-67.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ZMW 32.42

$4.45 MX$77.0

-59.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ZMW 22.53

$1.38 MX$23.93

-8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ZMW 13.16

$1.89 MX$32.72

-60.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.26

$1.64 MX$28.32

-3.66%

Eggs

$1.77 ZMW 31.65

$2.51 MX$43.34

-29.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 ZMW 140

$8.34 MX$144

-5.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 ZMW 68.4

$8.34 MX$144

-54.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 ZMW 81.6

$10.73 MX$186

-57.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 ZMW 44.69

$2.60 MX$45.04

-3.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.28

$1.46 MX$25.20

8.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 ZMW 47.96

$1.90 MX$32.87

41.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 20.91

$2.08 MX$35.91

-43.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 ZMW 33.43

$1.78 MX$30.71

5.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ZMW 24.63

$2.19 MX$37.80

-36.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ZMW 15.54

$1.04 MX$17.99

-16.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.30

$1.08 MX$18.62

-51.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 ZMW 45.39

$4.08 MX$70.6

-37.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 ZMW 195

$10.32 MX$178

6.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ZMW 20.24

$1.71 MX$29.61

-33.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ZMW 26.75

$2.58 MX$44.54

-41.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 17.11

$0.51 MX$8.81

88.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.24 ZMW 683

$26.46 MX$458

44.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 ZMW 49.72

$3.26 MX$56.4

-14.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ZMW 20.50

$2.49 MX$43.09

-53.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.92 ZMW 159

$3.25 MX$56.2

174.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.29

$1.31 MX$22.61

-9.16%

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

$7,968 ZMW 142.2K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-73.69%

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

$28.4K ZMW 506.8K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

21.17%

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

$90.1 ZMW 1,608

$82.9 MX$1,433

8.70%

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

$53.6 ZMW 956

$22.22 MX$384

141.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$127 ZMW 2,263

$29.34 MX$507

332.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.11 ZMW 805

$51.6 MX$893

-12.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 ZMW 250

$18.32 MX$317

-23.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 ZMW 76.6

$5.07 MX$87.6

-15.38%

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

$177 ZMW 3,161

$201 MX$3,473

-11.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,528 ZMW 170.1K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

82.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.25 ZMW 344

$36.92 MX$639

-47.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.27 ZMW 308

$39.79 MX$688

-56.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 ZMW 1,535

$78.5 MX$1,357

9.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 ZMW 1,316

$87.1 MX$1,506

-15.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 ZMW 4,007

$973 MX$16.8K

-76.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 ZMW 2,148

$468 MX$8,090

-74.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,053 ZMW 18.8K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-35.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ZMW 10.4K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-52.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,973 ZMW 35.2K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-50.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,281 ZMW 76.4K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-34.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$296 ZMW 5,286

$664 MX$11.5K

-55.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

118.91%

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

Last update for Lusaka: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $224 in Lusaka and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 124% 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: $25.00 in Lusaka vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $177 vs $249 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 48% in total monthly costs ($876 vs $1,297 including rent). Lusaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 124% less. 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: $224 in Lusaka versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $876 per month in Lusaka versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lusaka runs roughly 45% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $876 in Lusaka versus $1,297 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 48% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.