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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $451 in Zanzibar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $702 in Zanzibar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $954 in Zanzibar, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 188% more than Zanzibar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zanzibar are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Zanzibar 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.87 TZS 12.6K

140.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$22.38 TZS 57.7K

85.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.83 TZS 15.0K

82.50%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.18 TZS 5,635

61.47%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.60 TZS 1,539

151.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.31 TZS 792

212.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.94 TZS 5,011

52.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.77 TZS 7,141

60.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.77 TZS 4,574

-22.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.74 TZS 1,897

155.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.87 TZS 2,236

88.51%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.87 TZS 7,396

-12.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$2.28 TZS 5,872

265.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$4.75 TZS 12.2K

125.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.92 TZS 7,541

-10.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.13 TZS 2,908

29.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.75 TZS 1,943

153.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.59 TZS 1,530

252.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.93 TZS 2,386

91.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.58 TZS 4,062

38.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.74 TZS 1,916

40.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.46 TZS 1,184

134.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.11 TZS 5,442

93.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$9.55 TZS 24.6K

8.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.75 TZS 4,520

-2.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.31 TZS 3,387

96.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.65 TZS 1,664

-21.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$2.76 TZS 7,125

17.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.20 TZS 3,101

9.17%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

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

$22.22 MX$384

$10.46 TZS 27.0K

112.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$22.74 TZS 58.6K

29.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$21.24 TZS 54.8K

143.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

-46.18%

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$13.26 TZS 34.2K

178.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$17.44 TZS 45.0K

128.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$15.26 TZS 39.3K

414.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$13.76 TZS 35.5K

532.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$148 TZS 382.9K

554.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$99.0 TZS 255.4K

372.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$202 TZS 520.2K

713.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$150 TZS 386.0K

715.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$38.5K TZS 99.3M

-89.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$11.4K TZS 29.3M

-42.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$324 TZS 834.5K

105.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

14.20%

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 Zanzibar: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $148 in Zanzibar. 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 105% 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 $22.00 in Zanzibar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $138 – making Zanzibar 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 Zanzibar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 188%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $676 in Zanzibar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 81% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $22.00 in Zanzibar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zanzibar, where all-in costs run around $451, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Zanzibar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zanzibar – 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 Zanzibar. 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.