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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $319 in Zaltan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $542 in Zaltan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $764 in Zaltan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 293% more than Zaltan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zaltan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Zaltan 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$4.50 LYD 28.68

166.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$18.16 LYD 116

130.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.59 LYD 22.90

199.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.58 LYD 3.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 LYD 4.60

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$0.52 LYD 3.29

573.08%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.49 LYD 3.14

195.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.11 LYD 0.68

700.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.02 LYD 6.53

40.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.23 LYD 1.47

700.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.18 LYD 7.54

33.05%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.49 LYD 9.50

68.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$4.96 LYD 31.62

66.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.39 LYD 21.60

148.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$10.42 LYD 66.4

2.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.18 LYD 13.90

19.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.34 LYD 8.55

7.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.83 LYD 5.28

136.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.53 LYD 3.37

294.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.69 LYD 4.41

168.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.52 LYD 3.34

317.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.39 LYD 2.47

164.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.20 LYD 1.27

435.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.29 LYD 8.19

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.23

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 LYD 4.33

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.80 LYD 11.48

127.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.91 LYD 5.79

254.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.84 LYD 5.35

186.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$4.52 LYD 28.79

-28.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.03 LYD 0.20

4300.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$13.5K LYD 86.3K

119.32%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$16.3K LYD 103.9K

45.05%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$31.89 LYD 203

157.17%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$8.35 LYD 53.2

174.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$23.22 LYD 148

29.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.68 LYD 29.79

6.41%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$53.2 LYD 339

271.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$918 LYD 5,845

481.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$21.48 LYD 137

65.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$35.69 LYD 227

13.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$51.0 LYD 325

54.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$55.6 LYD 354

59.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

17.5

-34.74%

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 Zaltan: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $18.00 in Zaltan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $118 – making Zaltan 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 Zaltan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 293%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $479 in Zaltan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $319 in Zaltan. 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 $53.2 in Zaltan. 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 Zaltan, where all-in costs run around $319, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Zaltan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zaltan – 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 Zaltan. 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.