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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $528 in Az-zabadani, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $810 in Az-zabadani, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,091 in Az-zabadani, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 139% more than Az-zabadani, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Az-zabadani are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Az-zabadani 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$5.95 SYP 723

96.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$27.99 SYP 3,401

49.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$5.64 SYP 686

86.35%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.51 SYP 183

137.75%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.12 SYP 136

34.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.69 SYP 83.6

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.57 SYP 190

88.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.53 SYP 308

74.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.03 SYP 125

35.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.63 SYP 76.7

198.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.76 SYP 214

-11.36%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.94 SYP 236

34.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$2.99 SYP 364

178.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$7.79 SYP 946

7.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$11.43 SYP 1,389

-4.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$0.93 SYP 113

191.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.76 SYP 214

-14.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.99 SYP 121

88.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.88 SYP 106

148.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.61 SYP 74.3

204.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.63 SYP 76.2

253.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.37 SYP 45.22

189.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.61 SYP 74.4

78.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.08 SYP 374

36.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$7.75 SYP 942

34.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$0.98 SYP 119

69.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.76 SYP 213

48.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.97 SYP 118

217.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.27 SYP 154

88.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$6.48 SYP 788

-51.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$3.78 SYP 459

-65.34%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$18.2K SYP 2.2M

64.09%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$20.9K SYP 2.5M

11.51%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$101 SYP 12.2K

-19.18%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$8.30 SYP 1,008

171.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$54.7 SYP 6,650

-45.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$2.97 SYP 361

65.66%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$43.25 SYP 5,255

364.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$1,849 SYP 224.6K

179.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$29.10 SYP 3,536

23.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$25.48 SYP 3,096

57.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$45.71 SYP 5,554

74.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$57.0 SYP 6,919

51.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.75

-16.95%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Az-zabadani: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Az-zabadani. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $173 – 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 139% more than Az-zabadani, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $792 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $28.00 in Az-zabadani. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% 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 $528, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $528 versus $1,260 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.