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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,246 in Zabljak, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,848 in Zabljak, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,451 in Zabljak, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 1% more than Zabljak, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zabljak are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Zabljak 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$8.14 €6.94

43.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$32.49 €27.71

28.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$6.99 €5.96

48.78%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$1.77 €1.51

103.95%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$2.24 €1.91

-34.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$1.42 €1.21

-35.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$3.23 €2.76

-6.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$3.81 €3.25

17.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.42 €1.21

-2.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$0.66 €0.56

178.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$1.42 €1.21

13.38%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$3.09 €2.64

-16.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$7.33 €6.25

15.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$7.53 €6.42

12.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$11.63 €9.92

-5.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$1.24 €1.06

120.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.75 €1.49

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$1.60 €1.37

22.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.53 €1.31

38.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$0.72 €0.62

158.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$0.71 €0.60

205.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.95 €0.81

12.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$1.22 €1.04

-13.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$4.08 €3.48

2.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$4.83 €4.12

112.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.23 €1.05

35.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$1.79 €1.53

39.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.43 €1.22

-62.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$38.21 €32.59

-31.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$1.14 €0.97

171.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.59 €0.50

316.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$17.68 €15.08

-81.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.79 €1.52

-29.61%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$29.9K €25.5K

1.03%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$26.7K €22.8K

-12.17%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$118 €101

-28.80%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$18.57 €15.84

19.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$22.78 €19.43

30.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$44.86 €38.26

17.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$14.55 €12.41

26.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$5.73 €4.89

-13.61%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$422 €360

-53.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$10.1K €8,581

-47.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$22.75 €19.40

58.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$29.26 €24.96

36.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$59.0 €50.3

33.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$70.4 €60.0

22.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$720 €615

35.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$545 €464

-13.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$1,278 €1,090

24.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$917 €782

32.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$3,935 €3,357

2.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$2,628 €2,241

150.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$856 €730

-16.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.93

92.58%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Zabljak: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $720 in Zabljak. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 20% higher in Zabljak, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $32 in Zabljak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $206 – making Zabljak 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 Zabljak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,868 in Zabljak. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zabljak, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $1,246 in Zabljak. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 45% less in Zabljak. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zabljak, where all-in costs run around $1,246, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Zabljak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zabljak – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Zabljak. 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.