Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Zaporizhzhya

For one person, living is cheaper in Zaporizhzhya: $684 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Zaporizhzhya
🇺🇦 Ukraine
$684
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Zaporizhzhya

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Zaporizhzhya actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $684 in Zaporizhzhya, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Zaporizhzhya $684

A couple spends around $2,102 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,065 in Zaporizhzhya, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,102
  • Zaporizhzhya $1,065

A family of three spends $3,000 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,446 in Zaporizhzhya, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,000
  • Zaporizhzhya $1,446

Playa del Carmen costs about 76% more than Zaporizhzhya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zaporizhzhya are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Zaporizhzhya 50% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.86 MX$201
$6.81 ₴306
59.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.21 MX$817
$22.05 ₴990
100.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 MX$217
$4.63 ₴208
154.00%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.0
$1.11 ₴50.0
231.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 MX$24.79
$0.58 ₴26.13
131.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$15.24
$0.38 ₴17.01
115.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.06 MX$56.6
$0.92 ₴41.51
232.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.94 MX$91.2
$1.70 ₴76.4
190.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.17
$1.08 ₴48.64
36.11%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$40.95
$0.70 ₴31.51
217.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 MX$27.32
$1.20 ₴53.8
23.33%
Eggs
$2.49 MX$45.99
$1.68 ₴75.4
48.21%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.52 MX$139
$7.79 ₴350
-3.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.96 MX$147
$4.28 ₴192
85.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 MX$232
$6.29 ₴282
99.84%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.3
$1.23 ₴55.0
126.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MX$26.37
$1.55 ₴69.7
-7.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.62 MX$48.37
$1.62 ₴72.7
61.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 MX$39.49
$2.18 ₴97.9
-1.83%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.38
$0.69 ₴31.17
192.75%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.74
$0.53 ₴23.63
275.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.01
$1.26 ₴56.5
-9.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$22.18
$0.59 ₴26.40
103.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 MX$78.7
$2.69 ₴121
58.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.02 MX$185
$4.42 ₴198
126.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 MX$28.41
$0.79 ₴35.47
94.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 MX$49.17
$1.16 ₴52.3
129.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.53 MX$9.73
$0.39 ₴17.66
35.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.51 MX$508
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.90 MX$90.6
$1.41 ₴63.3
247.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.43 MX$63.5
$0.35 ₴15.55
880.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.38 MX$99.4
$2.24 ₴101
140.18%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$26.76
$1.54 ₴69.3
-5.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$391.0K
$30.2K ₴1.4M
-30.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K MX$425.3K
$24.2K ₴1.1M
-4.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.4 MX$1,577
$96.1 ₴4,315
-11.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.46 MX$434
$5.59 ₴251
319.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.43 MX$525
$6.27 ₴281
353.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.2 MX$1,149
$30.03 ₴1,348
107.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.68 MX$530
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.10 MX$94.3
$4.55 ₴204
12.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,715
$280 ₴12.6K
-28.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,947 MX$72.9K
$2,692 ₴120.8K
46.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.39 MX$820
$42.33 ₴1,900
4.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.35 MX$764
$40.06 ₴1,798
3.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.7 MX$1,344
$88.6 ₴3,979
-17.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.6 MX$1,656
$103 ₴4,628
-13.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$979 MX$18.1K
$210 ₴9,410
367.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$373 MX$6,887
$159 ₴7,134
134.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,681 MX$31.1K
$393 ₴17.7K
327.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,095 MX$20.2K
$303 ₴13.6K
260.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,949 MX$73.0K
$560 ₴25.1K
605.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,137 MX$113.4K
$386 ₴17.3K
1488.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$738 MX$13.6K
$472 ₴21.2K
56.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
16
-28.44%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Last update for Zaporizhzhya: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$373
Zaporizhzhya
$159 57.4% $214
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$258
Zaporizhzhya
$156 39.5% $102
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Zaporizhzhya
$94 53.2% $107
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Zaporizhzhya
$108 21.3% $29
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Zaporizhzhya
$123 10.5% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$72
Zaporizhzhya
$39 45.9% $33
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$52
Zaporizhzhya
$4.7 * 90.9% $47

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $979 in Playa del Carmen versus $210 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 56% 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 $44.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $22.00 in Zaporizhzhya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $156 – making Zaporizhzhya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇺🇦 Zaporizhzhya
🕒 Local time
07:37 7:37 AM
15:37 3:37 PM
8 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
750,685
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

UAH, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Ukrainian Hryvnia exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 44.89 UAH (100 UAH = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 50.46 UAH (100 UAH = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Zaporizhzhya 10,480 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Zaporizhzhya

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 76%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,026 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 $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $684 in Zaporizhzhya. That's a gap of about 76%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $280 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 $684, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. 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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