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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,095 in Zahlah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,704 in Zahlah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,313 in Zahlah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 15% more than Zahlah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zahlah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Zahlah 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$11.02 LBP 986.1K

6.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$58.9 LBP 5.3M

-28.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.82 LBP 700.0K

34.40%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.29 LBP 294.3K

9.12%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.63 LBP 145.8K

-7.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.87 LBP 78.0K

5.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$3.57 LBP 319.3K

-17.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.02 LBP 181.0K

118.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.01 LBP 90.5K

38.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.84 LBP 75.3K

123.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.82 LBP 162.9K

-14.29%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.06 LBP 274.1K

-14.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$11.24 LBP 1.0M

-25.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$9.51 LBP 851.2K

-12.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$11.55 LBP 1.0M

-5.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.72 LBP 154.1K

57.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.47 LBP 131.2K

2.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.13 LBP 101.2K

65.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.04 LBP 92.9K

110.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.99 LBP 88.9K

87.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.01 LBP 90.0K

120.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.81 LBP 72.3K

32.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.56 LBP 49.9K

94.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.57 LBP 229.9K

63.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$9.91 LBP 887.3K

5.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.27 LBP 113.9K

30.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.22 LBP 198.9K

17.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$5.09 LBP 455.2K

-39.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.22 LBP 109.6K

96.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$19.97 LBP 1.8M

-84.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.88 LBP 79.2K

48.86%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$34.7K LBP 3.1B

-14.08%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$27.9K LBP 2.5B

-16.43%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$217 LBP 19.4M

-62.46%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$36.97 LBP 3.3M

-38.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$36.82 LBP 3.3M

-18.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$8.17 LBP 731.0K

-39.78%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$300 LBP 26.9M

-33.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$4,530 LBP 405.4M

14.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$69.9 LBP 6.3M

-48.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$45.20 LBP 4.0M

-11.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$121 LBP 10.8M

-34.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$95.0 LBP 8.5M

-8.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$201 LBP 17.9M

134.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$393 LBP 35.2M

205.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.16

2.33%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Zahlah: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $59.0 in Zahlah. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $227 in Zahlah – so Zahlah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Zahlah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,642 in Zahlah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,095 in Zahlah. 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 $300 in Zahlah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zahlah, where all-in costs run around $1,095, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Zahlah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zahlah – 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 Zahlah. 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.