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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $439 in Zanzibar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $701 in Zanzibar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $962 in Zanzibar, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 186% more than Zanzibar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zanzibar are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Zanzibar 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$4.77 TZS 12.5K

151.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$22.31 TZS 58.5K

87.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$5.84 TZS 15.3K

84.08%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.27 TZS 5,963

54.19%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.60 TZS 1,587

141.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.34 TZS 880

158.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.90 TZS 4,978

55.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.69 TZS 7,051

67.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.70 TZS 4,452

-15.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.73 TZS 1,921

152.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$0.87 TZS 2,292

80.46%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.87 TZS 7,534

-12.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$2.36 TZS 6,194

257.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$4.76 TZS 12.5K

124.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$2.94 TZS 7,715

-11.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.19 TZS 3,116

21.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.80 TZS 2,101

145.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.56 TZS 1,471

273.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.94 TZS 2,475

96.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.50 TZS 3,946

44.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.79 TZS 2,068

30.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.50 TZS 1,311

114.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$2.02 TZS 5,289

102.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$9.65 TZS 25.3K

5.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.79 TZS 4,690

-6.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.31 TZS 3,438

93.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.63 TZS 1,666

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$2.77 TZS 7,270

16.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.16 TZS 3,036

13.79%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

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

$22.95 MX$403

$10.36 TZS 27.2K

121.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$22.93 TZS 60.2K

31.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$21.02 TZS 55.2K

147.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$9.71 TZS 25.5K

-48.71%

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

$197 MX$3,463

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$13.39 TZS 35.1K

165.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$17.69 TZS 46.4K

127.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$15.19 TZS 39.9K

418.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$13.73 TZS 36.0K

547.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$149 TZS 390.6K

536.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$101 TZS 266.1K

367.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$202 TZS 529.6K

714.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$150 TZS 392.5K

709.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$37.5K TZS 98.5M

-89.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$11.5K TZS 30.1M

-43.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$316 TZS 829.5K

106.86%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Zanzibar: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $149 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 107% 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 $139 – 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 186%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $659 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 79% 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 $439, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.