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

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

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

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 47% more expensive than in Lusaka, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Lusaka 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$7.01 ZMW 128

71.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$24.68 ZMW 449

69.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.70 ZMW 67.3

190.54%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.93 ZMW 35.10

81.35%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.67 ZMW 12.24

116.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.34 ZMW 6.16

158.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$0.94 ZMW 17.14

213.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.84 ZMW 33.48

145.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.33 ZMW 24.30

7.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.80 ZMW 14.63

130.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.58 ZMW 28.69

-0.63%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.77 ZMW 32.25

41.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$7.92 ZMW 144

4.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.78 ZMW 68.8

123.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$4.74 ZMW 86.2

125.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.57 ZMW 46.79

1.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.57 ZMW 28.62

-8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.71 ZMW 49.35

-27.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.16 ZMW 21.15

80.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.80 ZMW 32.84

2.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.33 ZMW 24.17

63.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.92 ZMW 16.80

11.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.51 ZMW 9.37

109.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.54 ZMW 46.29

61.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$10.63 ZMW 194

-4.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.09 ZMW 19.75

54.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.57 ZMW 28.52

61.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.96 ZMW 17.51

-46.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$39.17 ZMW 713

-33.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.78 ZMW 50.7

16.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.17 ZMW 21.32

105.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$9.20 ZMW 167

-64.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.19 ZMW 21.75

10.92%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$7,891 ZMW 143.6K

276.34%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$28.4K ZMW 517.4K

-16.76%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$90.7 ZMW 1,651

-9.59%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$53.4 ZMW 972

-57.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$123 ZMW 2,239

-75.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$45.44 ZMW 827

14.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$13.65 ZMW 248

35.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.25 ZMW 77.4

17.18%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$178 ZMW 3,232

11.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$9,462 ZMW 172.2K

-43.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$18.67 ZMW 340

90.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$17.20 ZMW 313

134.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$84.5 ZMW 1,539

-6.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$72.2 ZMW 1,314

23.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$228 ZMW 4,157

314.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$125 ZMW 2,273

279.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,028 ZMW 18.7K

59.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$593 ZMW 10.8K

104.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,886 ZMW 34.3K

115.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$14.2K ZMW 258.2K

-54.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$287 ZMW 5,215

128.22%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $228 in Lusaka. 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: $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 $178 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 47% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $855 including rent). Lusaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 128% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $228 in Lusaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $855 in Lusaka – 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.