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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,275 in Zatec, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,032 in Zatec, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,790 in Zatec, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 1% more than Zatec, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zatec are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Zatec 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$7.31 Kč 152

60.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$19.30 Kč 401

141.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$9.37 Kč 195

24.33%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$3.04 Kč 63.2

34.54%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.73 Kč 15.21

87.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.97 Kč 20.17

-14.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$2.42 Kč 50.2

38.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.16 Kč 65.7

118.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$0.89 Kč 18.55

94.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$1.46 Kč 30.35

54.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$2.45 Kč 50.9

-27.76%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$2.61 Kč 54.3

4.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$6.10 Kč 127

50.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$5.65 Kč 117

57.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$7.06 Kč 147

78.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$1.32 Kč 27.48

128.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$1.66 Kč 34.48

-5.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$2.25 Kč 46.72

-5.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$3.51 Kč 73.0

-35.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$0.99 Kč 20.65

102.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$1.10 Kč 22.82

87.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.68 Kč 34.86

-29.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.55 Kč 11.41

118.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$6.41 Kč 133

-27.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$5.67 Kč 118

88.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$0.93 Kč 19.25

74.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$1.74 Kč 36.07

65.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.32 Kč 6.73

78.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$27.20 Kč 565

9.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$2.93 Kč 60.9

86.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$1.97 Kč 40.87

87.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$17.35 Kč 361

-65.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.89 Kč 39.31

-17.99%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$32.8K Kč 681.1K

-31.86%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$30.7K Kč 638.9K

-15.58%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$312 Kč 6,492

-71.46%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$23.42 Kč 487

6.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$19.60 Kč 407

60.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$65.0 Kč 1,351

4.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$20.06 Kč 417

44.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$13.72 Kč 285

-63.19%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$766 Kč 15.9K

-70.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$12.1K Kč 252.2K

-65.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$94.2 Kč 1,958

-49.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$39.63 Kč 824

13.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$48.61 Kč 1,010

68.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$127 Kč 2,644

-27.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$377 Kč 7,828

183.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$345 Kč 7,178

17.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,090 Kč 22.7K

77.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$1,003 Kč 20.9K

29.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$5,182 Kč 107.7K

-22.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$4,180 Kč 86.9K

58.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$1,190 Kč 24.7K

-37.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.64

146.77%

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 Zatec: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $377 in Zatec. 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 59% higher in Zatec, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Zatec. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $193 – making Zatec 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 Zatec: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,913 in Zatec. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zatec, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $1,275 in Zatec. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 10% less in Zatec. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zatec, where all-in costs run around $1,275, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Zatec it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zatec – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Zatec. 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.