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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $415 in Zagazig, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $655 in Zagazig, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $895 in Zagazig, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 213% more than Zagazig, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zagazig are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Zagazig 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.01 E£208

192.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$13.58 E£705

206.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$2.99 E£155

255.85%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$0.76 E£39.34

363.16%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.29 E£14.84

420.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.10 E£5.09

870.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.36 E£70.6

116.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.78 E£145

60.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.71 E£36.70

94.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.31 E£16.24

509.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.61 E£31.74

168.85%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.44 E£75.0

74.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.44 E£178

142.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.47 E£180

140.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.59 E£394

41.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.17 E£61.0

122.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$0.42 E£21.59

247.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$0.29 E£14.98

555.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.17 E£8.92

1123.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.38 E£19.85

368.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.41 E£21.26

434.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.09 E£4.60

1055.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.20 E£10.61

440.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$1.93 E£100

111.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$7.55 E£392

36.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.28 E£66.3

33.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.72 E£89.2

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.16 E£8.35

218.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.22 E£11.65

1381.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.45 E£23.38

453.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$0.95 E£49.21

242.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.30 E£15.47

336.67%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$36.5K E£1.9M

-16.96%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$29.3K E£1.5M

-19.99%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$15.63 E£811

430.20%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$2.92 E£151

660.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$4.04 E£210

626.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$22.39 E£1,162

130.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$3.61 E£187

40.44%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$92.0 E£4,775

118.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$1,966 E£102.0K

165.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$19.61 E£1,018

88.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$44.61 E£2,315

-10.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$109 E£5,637

-27.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$17.76 E£922

390.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$192 E£9,967

406.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$101 E£5,238

363.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$304 E£15.8K

440.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$181 E£9,370

576.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$288 E£14.9K

2159.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$155 E£8,060

327.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

16.67

-31.49%

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 Zagazig: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $192 in Zagazig. 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 328% 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 $14.00 in Zagazig. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $109 – 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 213%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $622 in Zagazig. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zagazig, 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 $415 in Zagazig. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $92.0 in Zagazig. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zagazig, where all-in costs run around $415, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.