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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $378 in Zagazig, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $632 in Zagazig, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $885 in Zagazig, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 242% more than Zagazig, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zagazig are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Zagazig 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$3.92 E£199

198.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$789

$15.93 E£810

192.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$5.57 E£283

109.16%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.3

$0.92 E£46.97

344.57%

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

$1.37 MX$23.28

$0.29 E£14.57

372.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.12

$0.17 E£8.61

388.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.8

$1.50 E£76.4

123.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$2.41 E£123

186.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.26

$0.72 E£36.57

140.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.29

$0.29 E£14.65

679.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.98

$0.56 E£28.58

216.07%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.29

$1.20 E£60.9

127.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$156

$3.83 E£195

139.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$4.25 E£216

109.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$214

$8.13 E£414

54.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.2

$1.34 E£68.1

125.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.61

$0.77 E£39.13

103.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.01

$0.41 E£20.80

419.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.36

$0.23 E£11.74

882.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.95

$0.42 E£21.44

376.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.98

$0.40 E£20.57

415.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.99

$0.10 E£4.85

1080.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.40

$0.22 E£11.18

445.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.5

$2.12 E£108

118.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$8.11 E£412

31.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.44

$1.59 E£81.1

1.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.81

$2.15 E£110

33.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.71

$0.12 E£5.96

375.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$505

$6.01 E£306

396.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.3

$0.22 E£11.29

2377.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.8

$0.22 E£10.99

1581.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$1.54 E£78.4

288.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.32

$0.39 E£20.07

297.44%

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

$22.3K MX$378.3K

$34.5K E£1.8M

-35.33%

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

$25.9K MX$439.6K

$29.4K E£1.5M

-11.65%

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

$89.1 MX$1,510

$14.88 E£757

498.99%

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

$25.04 MX$424

$5.40 E£275

363.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$534

$10.97 E£558

187.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,148

$10.01 E£509

577.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$490

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.6

$1.96 E£99.7

157.65%

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

$225 MX$3,811

$110 E£5,619

103.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.5K

$3,392 E£172.5K

24.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$804

$19.96 E£1,015

137.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$762

$47.12 E£2,397

-4.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,389

$115 E£5,837

-28.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,560

$17.36 E£883

430.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,867

$38.60 E£1,963

950.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$98.1 E£4,991

1226.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.3K

$294 E£15.0K

2150.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$163 E£8,310

358.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

14.50%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Zagazig: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 358% 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 $16.00 in Zagazig. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $122 – making Zagazig 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 Zagazig: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 242%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $567 in Zagazig. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $378 in Zagazig. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 396% less in Zagazig. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zagazig, where all-in costs run around $378, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Zagazig it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zagazig – 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 Zagazig. 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.