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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $745 in Zamboanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,076 in Zamboanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,408 in Zamboanga, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 74% more than Zamboanga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zamboanga are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Zamboanga 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$1.55 ₱95.5

656.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$9.47 ₱584

339.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$2.73 ₱168

289.74%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.81 ₱111

94.48%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.91 ₱56.0

65.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.42 ₱25.84

130.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.22 ₱75.5

141.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$1.64 ₱101

171.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.94 ₱120

-28.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.65 ₱101

14.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.28 ₱79.2

28.12%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.66 ₱102

51.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.23 ₱692

-25.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.51 ₱278

84.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$3.57 ₱220

200.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.37 ₱208

-22.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.32 ₱81.2

10.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$4.22 ₱260

-54.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.68 ₱166

-22.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.38 ₱85.0

28.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.76 ₱170

-20.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.90 ₱55.3

15.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.57 ₱34.90

89.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.99 ₱185

36.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$4.38 ₱270

135.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.47 ₱90.4

16.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.18 ₱134

18.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.24 ₱14.85

112.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.93 ₱57.5

250.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.22 ₱13.56

1031.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$2.11 ₱130

54.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.22 ₱75.0

7.38%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$26.9K ₱1.7M

12.63%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

13.24%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$167 ₱10.3K

-50.31%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$48.00 ₱2,960

-53.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$52.8 ₱3,254

-44.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$39.54 ₱2,438

30.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$4.31 ₱266

325.06%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.95 ₱429

-27.05%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$53.2 ₱3,283

277.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,223 ₱75.4K

326.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$24.61 ₱1,517

50.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$26.58 ₱1,639

49.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$88.5 ₱5,458

-11.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$61.8 ₱3,808

41.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$140 ₱8,603

597.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$71.1 ₱4,384

557.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$370 ₱22.8K

343.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$143 ₱8,818

753.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,275 ₱140.3K

73.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,099 ₱67.7K

491.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$193 ₱11.9K

243.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-4.83%

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 Zamboanga: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $140 in Zamboanga. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 243% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $9.00 in Zamboanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $210 – making Zamboanga 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 Zamboanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 74%, 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 $1,117 in Zamboanga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zamboanga, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $745 in Zamboanga. 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 $53.2 in Zamboanga. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zamboanga, where all-in costs run around $745, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Zamboanga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zamboanga – 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 Zamboanga. 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.