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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $708 in Zaporizhzhya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,100 in Zaporizhzhya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,492 in Zaporizhzhya, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 77% more than Zaporizhzhya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zaporizhzhya are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Zaporizhzhya 47% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.99 MX$210
$7.05 ₴315
70.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78 MX$733
$24.37 ₴1,088
71.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.75 MX$189
$3.98 ₴178
170.10%
Cappuccino
$3.50 MX$61.3
$0.83 ₴36.82
321.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 MX$25.41
$0.65 ₴29.09
123.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 MX$15.52
$0.44 ₴19.55
100.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 MX$51.7
$0.99 ₴43.99
197.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.51 MX$79.1
$1.49 ₴66.4
202.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$25.12
$1.11 ₴49.59
28.83%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 MX$32.23
$0.61 ₴27.28
201.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 MX$27.51
$1.28 ₴56.9
22.66%
Eggs
$2.51 MX$44.06
$1.54 ₴68.9
62.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.28 MX$145
$7.21 ₴322
14.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.43 MX$148
$4.05 ₴181
108.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.68 MX$187
$4.73 ₴211
125.79%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 MX$45.76
$0.89 ₴39.77
193.26%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 MX$25.22
$1.66 ₴74.1
-13.25%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 MX$34.41
$1.82 ₴81.1
7.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$36.74
$2.13 ₴95.0
-1.88%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 MX$32.47
$0.66 ₴29.67
180.30%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$38.02
$0.52 ₴23.07
317.31%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 MX$18.09
$1.00 ₴44.56
3.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MX$18.84
$0.53 ₴23.79
101.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.10 MX$72.0
$2.33 ₴104
75.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.17 MX$178
$4.52 ₴202
125.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$29.38
$0.82 ₴36.71
104.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 MX$44.31
$1.25 ₴55.9
102.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$8.93
$0.43 ₴19.06
18.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.04 MX$457
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.7
$1.42 ₴63.3
127.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.41 MX$42.19
$0.25 ₴11.20
864.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.6
$2.46 ₴110
31.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 MX$23.17
$1.37 ₴61.3
-3.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K MX$520.9K
$27.4K ₴1.2M
8.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7K MX$415.0K
$17.1K ₴764.9K
38.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,439
$115 ₴5,140
-28.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.95 MX$403
$5.26 ₴235
336.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.11 MX$528
$5.47 ₴244
450.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.0 MX$912
$30.70 ₴1,370
69.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.53 MX$325
$4.84 ₴216
282.85%
Cinema Ticket
$4.98 MX$87.3
$3.67 ₴164
35.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,463
$72.7 ₴3,243
171.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,336 MX$93.6K
$3,209 ₴143.2K
66.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.60 MX$624
$57.7 ₴2,573
-38.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.33 MX$707
$39.91 ₴1,781
1.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 MX$1,381
$71.6 ₴3,196
9.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,560
$103 ₴4,598
-13.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$947 MX$16.6K
$215 ₴9,575
341.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$474 MX$8,314
$189 ₴8,425
151.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,644 MX$28.8K
$445 ₴19.9K
269.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,211 MX$21.2K
$331 ₴14.8K
265.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,056 MX$71.1K
$567 ₴25.3K
615.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,470 MX$113.5K
$390 ₴17.4K
1559.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 MX$11.5K
$483 ₴21.6K
35.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
17
-32.82%

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 Zaporizhzhya: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $215 in Zaporizhzhya. 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 35% 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 $24.00 in Zaporizhzhya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $146 – making Zaporizhzhya 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 Zaporizhzhya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zaporizhzhya cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 77%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,061 in Zaporizhzhya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Zaporizhzhya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Zaporizhzhya?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $708 in Zaporizhzhya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $72.7 in Zaporizhzhya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Zaporizhzhya?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zaporizhzhya, where all-in costs run around $708, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Zaporizhzhya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Zaporizhzhya more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Zaporizhzhya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Zaporizhzhya. 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.

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