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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $731 in Zamboanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,099 in Zamboanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,467 in Zamboanga, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 73% more than Zamboanga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zamboanga are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Zamboanga 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$1.32 ₱82.7

778.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$16.92 ₱1,061

178.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$3.51 ₱220

238.46%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$2.08 ₱130

91.35%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$0.87 ₱54.2

64.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.42 ₱26.50

95.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$1.46 ₱91.6

118.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.99 ₱125

241.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.73 ₱108

-2.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$1.43 ₱89.5

53.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.11 ₱69.7

54.05%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$1.52 ₱95.0

80.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$10.08 ₱632

-4.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.06 ₱254

121.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$3.16 ₱198

305.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$3.07 ₱192

-5.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.17 ₱73.2

28.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$3.69 ₱231

-41.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$1.14 ₱71.3

98.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$1.18 ₱74.3

67.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$2.44 ₱153

-18.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$0.83 ₱52.0

48.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.50 ₱31.55

140.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$2.79 ₱175

63.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$4.11 ₱257

152.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$1.31 ₱82.1

23.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$1.96 ₱123

46.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$0.22 ₱13.80

172.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$11.85 ₱743

143.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$0.77 ₱48.02

600.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$0.21 ₱13.16

1676.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$1.67 ₱105

245.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$0.97 ₱60.9

58.76%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$20.6K ₱1.3M

9.30%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$18.5K ₱1.2M

40.73%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$122 ₱7,667

-25.31%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$14.78 ₱926

70.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$47.02 ₱2,947

-33.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$36.01 ₱2,257

86.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$4.65 ₱291

526.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$5.09 ₱319

-4.52%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$131 ₱8,182

71.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$7,834 ₱490.9K

-46.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$32.17 ₱2,016

46.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$18.84 ₱1,181

135.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$71.0 ₱4,448

12.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$54.5 ₱3,417

69.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$263 ₱16.5K

304.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$174 ₱10.9K

124.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$340 ₱21.3K

532.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$354 ₱22.2K

259.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$2,560 ₱160.4K

56.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$1,002 ₱62.8K

549.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$188 ₱11.8K

302.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.75

69.63%

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 Zamboanga: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $263 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 302% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $17.00 in Zamboanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $181 – 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 73%, 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 $1,097 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $731 in Zamboanga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 143% less in Zamboanga. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zamboanga, where all-in costs run around $731, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.