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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $364 in Zaltan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $564 in Zaltan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $764 in Zaltan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 248% more than Zaltan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zaltan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Zaltan 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.90 LYD 24.72

197.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$14.77 LYD 93.6

218.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$2.49 LYD 15.77

377.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.65 LYD 4.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 LYD 3.82

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$0.43 LYD 2.72

825.58%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.42 LYD 2.65

240.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.09 LYD 0.58

811.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.97 LYD 6.15

73.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.20 LYD 1.27

1000.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.17 LYD 7.41

46.15%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.34 LYD 8.51

104.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$5.06 LYD 32.07

89.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.24 LYD 20.53

178.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$9.88 LYD 62.6

29.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.25 LYD 14.26

28.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.49 LYD 9.46

0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$0.72 LYD 4.56

198.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.56 LYD 3.52

303.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.67 LYD 4.25

195.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.49 LYD 3.11

306.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.43 LYD 2.72

186.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.16 LYD 1.04

650.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.85 LYD 11.71

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 LYD 6.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 LYD 5.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$1.98 LYD 12.57

129.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.83 LYD 5.25

549.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.46 LYD 2.91

710.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.02 LYD 0.11

7600.00%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$23.9K LYD 151.6K

-5.76%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$14.1K LYD 89.1K

85.41%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$95.8 LYD 607

-4.61%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$5.86 LYD 37.15

330.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$27.16 LYD 172

15.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

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

$224 MX$3,856

$52.5 LYD 333

326.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$618 LYD 3,918

584.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$20.50 LYD 130

129.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$17.57 LYD 111

152.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$54.6 LYD 346

46.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$66.1 LYD 419

40.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Zaltan: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $15.00 in Zaltan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $115 – 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 248%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $546 in Zaltan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $364 in Zaltan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $52.5 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 $364, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.