Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Az-zabadani Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Az-zabadani

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $640 in Az-zabadani, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,020 in Az-zabadani, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,399 in Az-zabadani, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 98% more than Az-zabadani, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Az-zabadani are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Az-zabadani 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$9.97 SYP 1,211

16.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$45.78 SYP 5,562

2.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$6.88 SYP 836

72.67%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$3.80 SYP 462

4.74%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$2.26 SYP 275

-36.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.85 SYP 104

-3.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.88 SYP 229

69.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.09 SYP 375

119.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.06 SYP 128

58.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.39 SYP 47.16

464.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.58 SYP 192

8.23%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.61 SYP 195

70.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$3.82 SYP 464

150.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.53 SYP 672

62.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$13.88 SYP 1,687

-7.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$1.07 SYP 130

170.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.41 SYP 171

6.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.11 SYP 135

93.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.02 SYP 124

121.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$0.76 SYP 92.3

160.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.81 SYP 98.0

145.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.44 SYP 53.1

179.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.66 SYP 80.5

81.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.85 SYP 346

59.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$5.80 SYP 705

78.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.11 SYP 134

45.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.86 SYP 348

0.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$1.02 SYP 124

428.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$1.54 SYP 187

142.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$7.51 SYP 913

-23.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$3.64 SYP 442

-57.69%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$15.2K SYP 1.8M

48.66%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$18.8K SYP 2.3M

38.67%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$138 SYP 16.8K

-33.90%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$9.83 SYP 1,194

156.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$46.37 SYP 5,634

-32.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$5.43 SYP 660

-10.50%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$65.7 SYP 7,987

240.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$1,785 SYP 216.9K

136.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$28.74 SYP 3,492

63.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$40.32 SYP 4,899

9.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$61.1 SYP 7,424

31.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$59.2 SYP 7,187

56.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

14.25

-19.65%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Az-zabadani: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $46.00 in Az-zabadani. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $168 – making Az-zabadani 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 98% more than Az-zabadani, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $961 in Az-zabadani. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $46.00 in Az-zabadani. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 64% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Az-zabadani, where all-in costs run around $640, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Az-zabadani it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Az-zabadani costs $640 versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Az-zabadani. 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.