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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $944 in Zacatecas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,493 in Zacatecas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,042 in Zacatecas, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 33% more than Zacatecas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zacatecas are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Zacatecas 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$6.02 MX$106

99.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$31.09 MX$545

34.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$7.28 MX$128

47.66%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.96 MX$52.0

18.24%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.22 MX$21.40

18.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.70 MX$12.29

25.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.81 MX$31.68

62.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$3.79 MX$66.4

19.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.39 MX$24.39

2.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$2.14 MX$37.48

-14.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.57 MX$27.45

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.20 MX$38.59

14.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$7.26 MX$127

14.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$5.89 MX$103

43.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$9.10 MX$160

17.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.74 MX$30.57

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.49 MX$26.15

-3.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.78 MX$31.20

10.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.43 MX$25.12

46.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$1.80 MX$31.64

2.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.02 MX$35.42

7.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.37 MX$23.99

-24.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.75 MX$13.20

42.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$4.17 MX$73.1

-1.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$10.90 MX$191

-6.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.63 MX$28.53

3.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$3.11 MX$54.5

-18.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.49 MX$8.54

4.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$16.10 MX$282

61.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$2.08 MX$36.46

55.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.94 MX$16.48

156.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$11.50 MX$202

-71.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.30 MX$22.87

1.54%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$24.2K MX$425.1K

22.52%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$23.9K MX$419.8K

-1.14%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$22.53 MX$395

264.00%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$8.09 MX$142

183.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$25.10 MX$440

19.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$23.52 MX$413

120.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$7.80 MX$137

137.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$4.15 MX$72.8

20.00%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$191 MX$3,348

3.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$3,190 MX$56.0K

67.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$43.23 MX$758

-17.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$42.35 MX$743

-4.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$87.9 MX$1,542

-10.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$42.12 MX$739

111.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$239 MX$4,193

296.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$403 MX$7,065

17.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$366 MX$6,419

349.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$768 MX$13.5K

57.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$590 MX$10.3K

996.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$435 MX$7,633

50.27%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Zacatecas: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $239 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 50% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $31.00 in Zacatecas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $221 – 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 33%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,415 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $944 in Zacatecas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 62% 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 $944, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.