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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $760 in Zacapoaxtla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,213 in Zacapoaxtla, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,665 in Zacapoaxtla, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 66% more than Zacapoaxtla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zacapoaxtla are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Zacapoaxtla 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$4.37 MX$75.8

167.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$21.29 MX$369

96.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$5.18 MX$89.9

100.77%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.48 MX$43.00

45.56%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$1.01 MX$17.43

45.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$1.09 MX$18.86

-16.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$1.22 MX$21.15

148.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$2.01 MX$34.86

122.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.30 MX$22.58

6.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$1.39 MX$24.12

32.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$1.41 MX$24.43

14.18%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$2.39 MX$41.39

7.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$3.10 MX$53.7

173.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$4.50 MX$78.0

88.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$4.53 MX$78.5

142.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$1.25 MX$21.69

118.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.05 MX$18.15

42.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$0.55 MX$9.61

256.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.02 MX$17.60

107.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$0.79 MX$13.73

135.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$1.04 MX$17.97

108.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$1.17 MX$20.22

-8.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.98 MX$17.03

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$4.11 MX$71.3

1.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$13.90 MX$241

-26.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.13 MX$19.51

47.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$1.62 MX$28.01

53.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.74 MX$12.83

-27.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$41.73 MX$723

-37.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$1.37 MX$23.68

126.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.28 MX$4.82

778.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$5.43 MX$94.1

-40.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.29 MX$22.29

-2.33%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$13.4K MX$232.5K

124.88%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$23.8K MX$413.2K

-1.67%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$40.87 MX$708

105.51%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$25.95 MX$450

-14.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$30.33 MX$526

-2.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$35.37 MX$613

48.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$15.72 MX$272

16.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$2.58 MX$44.70

91.86%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$209 MX$3,630

-5.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$3,545 MX$61.4K

50.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$18.29 MX$317

96.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$24.05 MX$417

66.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$42.29 MX$733

86.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$34.71 MX$601

149.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$481 MX$8,328

103.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$247 MX$4,274

90.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$1,014 MX$17.6K

57.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$581 MX$10.1K

109.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$2,025 MX$35.1K

99.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$1,172 MX$20.3K

461.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$636 MX$11.0K

12.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.34

0.71%

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 Zacapoaxtla: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $481 in Zacapoaxtla. 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 12% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $21 in Zacapoaxtla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $165 – making Zacapoaxtla 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 Zacapoaxtla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 66%, 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 $1,140 in Zacapoaxtla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zacapoaxtla, 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 $760 in Zacapoaxtla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 59% less in Zacapoaxtla. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zacapoaxtla, where all-in costs run around $760, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Zacapoaxtla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Zacapoaxtla. 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.