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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,069 in Zahlah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,668 in Zahlah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,266 in Zahlah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 20% more than Zahlah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zahlah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Zahlah 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$10.84 LBP 969.9K

10.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$60.4 LBP 5.4M

-29.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.95 LBP 712.0K

33.21%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.26 LBP 292.1K

11.04%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.59 LBP 142.1K

-7.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.86 LBP 77.2K

9.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$3.55 LBP 317.6K

-12.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.03 LBP 182.1K

119.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.01 LBP 90.5K

41.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.84 LBP 75.4K

123.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.78 LBP 159.3K

-8.43%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$3.22 LBP 288.3K

-18.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

-28.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$9.73 LBP 870.6K

-14.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$11.35 LBP 1.0M

-2.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.81 LBP 162.1K

46.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.51 LBP 135.6K

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.09 LBP 98.0K

82.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.04 LBP 93.4K

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.95 LBP 85.5K

88.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.01 LBP 90.1K

115.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.81 LBP 72.7K

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.52 LBP 46.4K

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.57 LBP 230.2K

54.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$11.20 LBP 1.0M

-8.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.24 LBP 110.9K

39.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.12 LBP 189.7K

17.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$5.03 LBP 450.1K

-37.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.22 LBP 108.9K

96.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$20.02 LBP 1.8M

-84.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.94 LBP 83.7K

35.11%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

-11.20%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$27.5K LBP 2.5B

-15.15%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$217 LBP 19.4M

-62.16%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$37.65 LBP 3.4M

-40.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$37.82 LBP 3.4M

-21.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$8.08 LBP 723.4K

-38.49%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$296 LBP 26.5M

-33.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$4,467 LBP 399.8M

18.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$70.7 LBP 6.3M

-48.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$44.79 LBP 4.0M

-10.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$125 LBP 11.2M

-36.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$92.8 LBP 8.3M

-4.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$199 LBP 17.8M

133.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$401 LBP 35.9M

201.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Zahlah: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $60.0 in Zahlah. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $231 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 20%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,604 in Zahlah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,069 in Zahlah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $296 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 $1,069, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.