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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $876 in Lusaka.

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

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

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 48% more expensive than Lusaka, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.11 ZMW 127

64.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$24.96 ZMW 446

66.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.63 ZMW 64.8

193.11%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.01 ZMW 35.86

75.12%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.73 ZMW 13.05

106.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.34 ZMW 6.04

185.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$0.96 ZMW 17.05

207.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$1.82 ZMW 32.42

144.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.26 ZMW 22.53

9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.74 ZMW 13.16

155.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.58 ZMW 28.26

3.80%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.77 ZMW 31.65

41.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.86 ZMW 140

6.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.83 ZMW 68.4

117.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$4.57 ZMW 81.6

134.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.50 ZMW 44.69

4.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.58 ZMW 28.28

-7.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.69 ZMW 47.96

-29.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.17 ZMW 20.91

77.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.87 ZMW 33.43

-4.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.38 ZMW 24.63

58.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.87 ZMW 15.54

19.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.52 ZMW 9.30

107.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.54 ZMW 45.39

60.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$10.95 ZMW 195

-5.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.13 ZMW 20.24

51.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.50 ZMW 26.75

72.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.96 ZMW 17.11

-46.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$38.24 ZMW 683

-30.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.79 ZMW 49.72

16.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.15 ZMW 20.50

116.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$8.92 ZMW 159

-63.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.19 ZMW 21.29

10.08%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$7,968 ZMW 142.2K

280.03%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$28.4K ZMW 506.8K

-17.47%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$90.1 ZMW 1,608

-8.00%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$53.6 ZMW 956

-58.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$127 ZMW 2,263

-76.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$45.11 ZMW 805

14.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$13.99 ZMW 250

30.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.29 ZMW 76.6

18.18%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$177 ZMW 3,161

13.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$9,528 ZMW 170.1K

-45.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$19.25 ZMW 344

91.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$17.27 ZMW 308

130.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$86.0 ZMW 1,535

-8.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$73.7 ZMW 1,316

18.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$224 ZMW 4,007

333.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$120 ZMW 2,148

288.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,053 ZMW 18.8K

55.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$585 ZMW 10.4K

108.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,973 ZMW 35.2K

99.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$4,281 ZMW 76.4K

51.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$296 ZMW 5,286

124.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-54.32%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $224 in Lusaka. 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $25.00 in Lusaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $177 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

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

Playa del Carmen and Lusaka differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $876 including rent). Lusaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 124% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $224 in Lusaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $876 in Lusaka – 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.