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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $411 in Zagazig, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $657 in Zagazig, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $902 in Zagazig, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 205% 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 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.99 E£204

200.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$13.07 E£667

219.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.03 E£155

254.79%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$0.83 E£42.15

321.69%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.31 E£15.94

367.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.11 E£5.43

700.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.35 E£69.2

118.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.67 E£136

68.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.68 E£34.59

110.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.31 E£16.02

493.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.58 E£29.49

170.69%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.40 E£71.5

79.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$3.37 E£172

145.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.65 E£186

130.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.41 E£379

44.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.16 E£59.5

125.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$0.41 E£21.07

251.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.31 E£16.00

532.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.22 E£11.00

850.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.39 E£19.82

374.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.43 E£22.05

404.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.10 E£5.09

930.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.18 E£9.24

494.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.96 E£99.9

109.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$7.91 E£404

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.24 E£63.1

35.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.78 E£90.7

42.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.18 E£9.36

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.20 E£10.14

1515.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.45 E£23.22

435.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$0.98 E£49.84

229.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.30 E£15.19

340.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$35.5K E£1.8M

-16.26%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$29.9K E£1.5M

-20.73%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$16.06 E£820

410.65%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$2.89 E£147

694.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$3.89 E£199

674.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$22.65 E£1,156

129.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$3.51 E£179

41.88%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$93.4 E£4,768

111.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$1,998 E£102.0K

167.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$20.07 E£1,024

77.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$45.04 E£2,299

-10.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$107 E£5,466

-26.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$17.99 E£918

394.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$193 E£9,849

390.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$97.8 E£4,990

384.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$305 E£15.6K

439.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$175 E£8,927

592.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$301 E£15.3K

2052.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$160 E£8,148

309.68%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Zagazig: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $193 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 310% 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 $13.00 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 205%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $617 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $411 in Zagazig. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $93.4 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 $411, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.