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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $581 in Zanzibar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $872 in Zanzibar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,163 in Zanzibar, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 123% more than Zanzibar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zanzibar are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Zanzibar 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$4.70 TZS 12.4K

149.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$21.77 TZS 57.2K

114.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$5.50 TZS 14.5K

111.82%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$2.13 TZS 5,598

92.02%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.63 TZS 1,649

117.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.31 TZS 805

167.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$1.93 TZS 5,067

73.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$2.58 TZS 6,772

167.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$2.07 TZS 5,438

-16.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$0.75 TZS 1,978

201.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$0.86 TZS 2,251

105.81%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$2.68 TZS 7,052

1.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$7.66 TZS 20.1K

19.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$2.26 TZS 5,939

294.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$6.07 TZS 16.0K

107.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$2.92 TZS 7,665

3.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$1.11 TZS 2,919

41.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$0.74 TZS 1,951

187.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$0.58 TZS 1,528

289.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$0.98 TZS 2,565

104.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$1.55 TZS 4,079

32.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.74 TZS 1,946

59.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.48 TZS 1,269

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$2.17 TZS 5,697

113.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$9.59 TZS 25.2K

11.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$1.55 TZS 4,062

4.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$1.36 TZS 3,567

111.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.29 TZS 759

96.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$3.81 TZS 10.0K

43.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.74 TZS 1,951

400.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$2.62 TZS 6,884

128.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.16 TZS 3,039

33.62%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$49.2K TZS 129.3M

-47.22%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$73.7 TZS 193.8K

20.89%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$11.50 TZS 30.2K

117.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$48.70 TZS 128.0K

-35.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$29.70 TZS 78.1K

128.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$9.66 TZS 25.4K

-47.72%

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

$225 MX$3,803

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$13.13 TZS 34.5K

261.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$16.74 TZS 44.0K

168.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$15.38 TZS 40.4K

433.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$12.98 TZS 34.1K

609.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$150 TZS 393.4K

614.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$101 TZS 264.6K

302.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$203 TZS 534.6K

851.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$149 TZS 392.4K

771.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$37.5K TZS 98.6M

-89.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$11.6K TZS 30.4M

-42.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$312 TZS 820.9K

139.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

14.50%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Zanzibar: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $150 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 140% 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 $22.00 in Zanzibar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $166 – 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 123%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $871 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 66% 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 $47.00 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 $581, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.