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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $325 in Zaltan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $542 in Zaltan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $758 in Zaltan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 299% more than Zaltan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zaltan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Zaltan 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.52 LYD 28.71

159.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$18.20 LYD 116

128.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.75 LYD 23.81

183.73%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.56 LYD 3.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 LYD 4.26

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$0.51 LYD 3.26

590.20%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.48 LYD 3.07

214.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.10 LYD 0.63

870.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.99 LYD 6.30

39.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.21 LYD 1.33

800.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.23 LYD 7.82

33.33%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.44 LYD 9.15

74.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.79 LYD 30.41

74.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.41 LYD 21.66

144.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.40 LYD 66.0

3.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.11 LYD 13.38

23.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.34 LYD 8.49

8.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.82 LYD 5.22

131.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.57 LYD 3.59

264.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.70 LYD 4.45

154.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.58 LYD 3.66

277.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.38 LYD 2.43

173.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.22 LYD 1.40

390.91%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.23 LYD 7.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 LYD 4.30

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 LYD 4.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.81 LYD 11.51

125.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.96 LYD 6.09

239.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.91 LYD 5.79

173.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$4.49 LYD 28.52

-27.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.03 LYD 0.18

4266.67%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$14.0K LYD 88.7K

116.66%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$16.0K LYD 101.8K

46.09%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$32.23 LYD 205

157.12%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$8.44 LYD 53.6

163.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$23.26 LYD 148

26.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.67 LYD 29.68

8.57%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$51.6 LYD 327

289.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$924 LYD 5,869

463.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$21.74 LYD 138

69.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$35.95 LYD 228

10.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$49.34 LYD 313

59.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$55.9 LYD 355

55.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Zaltan: May 31, 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 $117 – 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 299%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $488 in Zaltan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $325 in Zaltan. 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 $51.6 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 $325, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.