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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $938 in Zacatecas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,518 in Zacatecas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,098 in Zacatecas, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 38% more than Zacatecas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zacatecas are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Zacatecas 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.26 MX$108

87.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$31.34 MX$542

32.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.13 MX$123

49.23%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.98 MX$51.5

18.12%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.22 MX$21.06

23.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.74 MX$12.78

31.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.89 MX$32.64

56.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.89 MX$67.3

14.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.34 MX$23.22

2.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$2.15 MX$37.22

-12.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.55 MX$26.73

5.81%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.19 MX$37.93

14.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.15 MX$124

16.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.73 MX$99.1

45.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.91 MX$154

20.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.71 MX$29.55

52.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.52 MX$26.23

-3.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.86 MX$32.12

2.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.39 MX$24.04

49.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.74 MX$30.18

2.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.95 MX$33.80

12.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.33 MX$22.93

-21.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.83 MX$14.32

30.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.20 MX$72.6

-2.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$11.13 MX$193

-7.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.64 MX$28.32

4.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.30 MX$57.0

-21.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.52 MX$9.05

-1.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$16.12 MX$279

64.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.06 MX$35.69

58.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.94 MX$16.34

164.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$11.49 MX$199

-71.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.29 MX$22.39

1.55%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$24.0K MX$415.7K

25.99%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$23.6K MX$409.0K

-0.92%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$22.34 MX$386

270.95%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$7.74 MX$134

187.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$24.97 MX$432

17.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$23.61 MX$408

118.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$8.08 MX$140

126.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.11 MX$71.1

23.36%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$191 MX$3,304

5.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,154 MX$54.6K

65.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$43.97 MX$761

-16.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$42.04 MX$727

-5.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$86.9 MX$1,503

-9.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$42.14 MX$729

106.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$240 MX$4,151

305.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$393 MX$6,796

19.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$364 MX$6,293

351.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$770 MX$13.3K

58.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$603 MX$10.4K

977.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$910 MX$15.7K

-27.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.48

-0.52%

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 Zacatecas: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $240 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 37% higher in Zacatecas, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $31.00 in Zacatecas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $220 – 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 38%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,408 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $938 in Zacatecas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 64% 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 $938, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.