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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $806 in Zacatecas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,275 in Zacatecas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,744 in Zacatecas, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 62% more than Zacatecas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zacatecas are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Zacatecas 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$6.90 MX$117

73.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$34.73 MX$589

36.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.83 MX$133

50.06%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.23 MX$54.8

27.55%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.38 MX$23.34

1.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.78 MX$13.28

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.12 MX$35.97

51.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$4.55 MX$77.2

55.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.55 MX$26.27

8.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$2.31 MX$39.19

-6.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.73 MX$29.34

2.31%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.39 MX$40.62

17.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$7.91 MX$134

16.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.38 MX$108

44.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$10.37 MX$176

21.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.97 MX$33.35

49.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.77 MX$30.01

-10.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.21 MX$37.55

0.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.54 MX$26.15

53.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$2.09 MX$35.46

-4.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.90 MX$32.22

4.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.54 MX$26.15

-19.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.92 MX$15.56

31.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$4.76 MX$80.8

-3.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$11.57 MX$196

-9.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.81 MX$30.69

-6.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.53 MX$60.0

-21.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.53 MX$9.03

13.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$17.84 MX$303

66.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$2.42 MX$41.11

116.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.19 MX$20.22

206.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$12.89 MX$219

-55.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.59 MX$27.01

-3.14%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$23.3K MX$395.6K

-2.22%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$25.7K MX$435.4K

0.57%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$24.89 MX$422

264.28%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$9.09 MX$154

177.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$27.23 MX$462

16.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$26.38 MX$448

160.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$8.77 MX$149

234.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.56 MX$77.3

6.58%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$278 MX$4,720

-18.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$3,489 MX$59.2K

20.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$48.51 MX$823

-2.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$45.71 MX$775

-4.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$97.1 MX$1,647

-17.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$46.93 MX$796

94.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$261 MX$4,435

315.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$176 MX$2,979

132.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$414 MX$7,020

376.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$264 MX$4,486

384.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$617 MX$10.5K

985.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$452 MX$7,667

71.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.8

6.02%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Zacatecas: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $261 in Zacatecas. 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 71% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Zacatecas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $245 – making Zacatecas 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 Zacatecas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 62%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,208 in Zacatecas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zacatecas, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $806 in Zacatecas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 66% less in Zacatecas. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zacatecas, where all-in costs run around $806, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Zacatecas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zacatecas – 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 Zacatecas. 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.