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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $751 in Zamboanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,086 in Zamboanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,421 in Zamboanga, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 67% more than Zamboanga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zamboanga are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Zamboanga 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$1.50 ₱92.3

699.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$10.04 ₱619

316.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$2.72 ₱167

295.22%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.74 ₱107

101.15%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.91 ₱55.9

59.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.42 ₱25.65

109.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.27 ₱78.2

132.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.66 ₱102

171.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.94 ₱120

-26.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.58 ₱97.5

16.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.29 ₱79.8

21.71%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.70 ₱105

47.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$11.30 ₱697

-26.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.49 ₱277

87.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$3.53 ₱218

202.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.50 ₱216

-25.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.36 ₱83.8

5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$4.14 ₱255

-52.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.61 ₱161

-19.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.39 ₱85.5

33.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.77 ₱171

-21.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.92 ₱56.6

11.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.53 ₱32.71

101.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.11 ₱192

31.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$4.34 ₱267

134.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.41 ₱87.3

19.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.28 ₱141

10.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.22 ₱13.53

131.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.85 ₱52.2

280.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.22 ₱13.50

995.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.19 ₱135

47.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.21 ₱74.9

9.09%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$26.3K ₱1.6M

12.97%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$20.4K ₱1.3M

16.10%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$165 ₱10.2K

-50.24%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$47.18 ₱2,909

-51.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$52.6 ₱3,245

-42.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$40.51 ₱2,498

28.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$4.45 ₱274

316.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$7.00 ₱432

-28.86%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$52.8 ₱3,257

273.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$1,218 ₱75.1K

338.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$24.98 ₱1,540

42.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$26.13 ₱1,611

54.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$88.1 ₱5,436

-10.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$61.7 ₱3,806

44.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$140 ₱8,603

578.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$70.4 ₱4,339

573.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$378 ₱23.3K

334.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$142 ₱8,736

754.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,755 ₱169.9K

47.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$941 ₱58.1K

587.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$194 ₱11.9K

237.67%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Zamboanga: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 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 238% 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 $10.00 in Zamboanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $209 – 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 67%, 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 $1,126 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $751 in Zamboanga. 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 $52.8 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 $751, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.