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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,085 in Zahlah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,703 in Zahlah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,320 in Zahlah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 17% 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 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$10.89 LBP 974.2K

9.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$60.3 LBP 5.4M

-28.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.08 LBP 723.4K

31.81%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.38 LBP 302.6K

2.07%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.60 LBP 143.2K

-6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.92 LBP 82.0K

3.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$3.40 LBP 304.6K

-10.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.03 LBP 181.6K

127.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.99 LBP 88.3K

39.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.86 LBP 76.6K

115.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.83 LBP 163.4K

-12.02%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.10 LBP 277.1K

-16.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$11.17 LBP 1.0M

-26.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$9.69 LBP 867.0K

-13.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$11.29 LBP 1.0M

-5.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.75 LBP 156.6K

50.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.46 LBP 131.1K

2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.10 LBP 98.7K

74.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.04 LBP 93.5K

100.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.93 LBP 83.4K

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.99 LBP 89.0K

128.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.83 LBP 74.0K

27.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.55 LBP 49.6K

98.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.54 LBP 227.0K

63.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$9.85 LBP 881.5K

5.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.24 LBP 110.6K

38.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.23 LBP 200.0K

17.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$4.99 LBP 446.5K

-37.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.24 LBP 110.8K

102.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$20.16 LBP 1.8M

-84.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.88 LBP 79.1K

44.32%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$35.1K LBP 3.1B

-13.39%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$27.5K LBP 2.5B

-14.35%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$213 LBP 19.0M

-60.99%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$38.04 LBP 3.4M

-40.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$37.87 LBP 3.4M

-22.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$7.97 LBP 713.0K

-38.14%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$302 LBP 27.0M

-34.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$4,371 LBP 391.2M

20.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$70.9 LBP 6.3M

-47.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$44.76 LBP 4.0M

-10.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$125 LBP 11.1M

-35.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$95.3 LBP 8.5M

-6.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$197 LBP 17.6M

142.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$403 LBP 36.1M

203.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Zahlah: June 8, 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 – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $226 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 17%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,628 in Zahlah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,085 in Zahlah. 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 $302 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 $1,085, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.