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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $633 in Zaragoza, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,038 in Zaragoza, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,443 in Zaragoza, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 106% more than Zaragoza, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zaragoza are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Zaragoza 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$7.14 $7.14

67.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$29.88 $29.88

58.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.15 $7.15

64.34%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.53 $1.53

169.28%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.11 $1.11

26.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.79 $0.79

15.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.23 $1.23

160.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.05 $2.05

244.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.75 $1.75

-4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$2.20 $2.20

-2.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.02 $1.02

73.53%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.47 $2.47

14.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$7.81 $7.81

17.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$3.80 $3.80

142.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$5.43 $5.43

132.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$4.01 $4.01

-26.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.48 $1.48

6.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.99 $2.99

-25.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$2.21 $2.21

6.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$3.03 $3.03

-34.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.86 $1.86

6.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.97 $0.97

27.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.78 $0.78

55.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$3.93 $3.93

17.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$8.18 $8.18

28.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.56 $1.56

8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.20 $2.20

25.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$1.54 $1.54

-61.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$5.08 $5.08

3.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$3.09 $3.09

18.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$20.39 $20.39

-71.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.12 $1.12

37.50%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$24.7K $24.7K

-7.61%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$25.5K $25.5K

1.39%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$44.93 $44.93

101.80%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$21.64 $21.64

16.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$34.38 $34.38

-7.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$35.03 $35.03

96.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.85 $4.85

0.21%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$151 $151

49.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$4,682 $4,682

-10.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$67.1 $67.1

-29.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$46.98 $46.98

-7.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$110 $110

-27.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$70.1 $70.1

30.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

8.5

34.71%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Zaragoza: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $30.00 in Zaragoza. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $219 – making Zaragoza 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 Zaragoza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 106%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $950 in Zaragoza. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $633 in Zaragoza. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $151 in Zaragoza. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zaragoza, where all-in costs run around $633, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Zaragoza it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zaragoza – 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 Zaragoza. 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.