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: $855 in Lusaka versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,450 in Lusaka versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,045 in Lusaka versus $3,017 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 36% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.01 ZMW 128

$11.99 MX$209

-41.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.68 ZMW 449

$41.78 MX$728

-40.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.70 ZMW 67.3

$10.75 MX$187

-65.58%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ZMW 35.10

$3.50 MX$60.9

-44.86%

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

$0.67 ZMW 12.24

$1.45 MX$25.22

-53.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ZMW 6.16

$0.88 MX$15.41

-61.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ZMW 17.14

$2.95 MX$51.3

-68.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ZMW 33.48

$4.51 MX$78.6

-59.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ZMW 24.30

$1.43 MX$24.94

-6.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ZMW 14.63

$1.84 MX$31.99

-56.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.69

$1.57 MX$27.31

0.64%

Eggs

$1.77 ZMW 32.25

$2.51 MX$43.74

-29.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 ZMW 144

$8.28 MX$144

-4.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 ZMW 68.8

$8.43 MX$147

-55.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.74 ZMW 86.2

$10.68 MX$186

-55.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ZMW 46.79

$2.61 MX$45.43

-1.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ZMW 28.62

$1.44 MX$25.04

9.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ZMW 49.35

$1.96 MX$34.16

38.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ZMW 21.15

$2.09 MX$36.47

-44.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ZMW 32.84

$1.85 MX$32.24

-2.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ZMW 24.17

$2.17 MX$37.74

-38.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ZMW 16.80

$1.03 MX$17.96

-10.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZMW 9.37

$1.07 MX$18.70

-52.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 ZMW 46.29

$4.10 MX$71.4

-38.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 ZMW 194

$10.17 MX$177

4.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ZMW 19.75

$1.68 MX$29.17

-35.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ZMW 28.52

$2.53 MX$43.98

-37.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 17.51

$0.51 MX$8.87

88.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.17 ZMW 713

$26.04 MX$453

50.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 ZMW 50.7

$3.23 MX$56.3

-13.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 ZMW 21.32

$2.41 MX$41.88

-51.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.20 ZMW 167

$3.23 MX$56.2

184.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.75

$1.32 MX$23.00

-9.85%

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

$7,891 ZMW 143.6K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-73.43%

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

$28.4K ZMW 517.4K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

20.14%

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

$90.7 ZMW 1,651

$82.0 MX$1,428

10.61%

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

$53.4 ZMW 972

$22.95 MX$400

132.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$123 ZMW 2,239

$30.11 MX$524

308.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.44 ZMW 827

$52.0 MX$905

-12.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.65 ZMW 248

$18.53 MX$323

-26.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 ZMW 77.4

$4.98 MX$86.6

-14.66%

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

$178 ZMW 3,232

$197 MX$3,438

-10.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,462 ZMW 172.2K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

77.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.67 ZMW 340

$35.60 MX$620

-47.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.20 ZMW 313

$40.33 MX$702

-57.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ZMW 1,539

$78.8 MX$1,371

7.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ZMW 1,314

$88.9 MX$1,549

-18.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$228 ZMW 4,157

$947 MX$16.5K

-75.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$125 ZMW 2,273

$474 MX$8,254

-73.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 ZMW 18.7K

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-37.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 ZMW 10.8K

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-50.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,886 ZMW 34.3K

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-53.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K ZMW 258.2K

$6,470 MX$112.7K

119.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$287 ZMW 5,215

$654 MX$11.4K

-56.18%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $228 in Lusaka and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 128% 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 $178 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 47% in total monthly costs ($855 vs $1,256 including rent). Lusaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 128% 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: $228 in Lusaka versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $855 per month in Lusaka versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lusaka runs roughly 50% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $855 in Lusaka versus $1,256 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 47% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.