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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,282 in Zatec, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,963 in Zatec, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,644 in Zatec, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 1% more than Zatec, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zatec are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Zatec 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.91 Kč 144

69.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$18.54 Kč 387

124.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$9.25 Kč 193

15.03%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.00 Kč 62.5

17.33%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.73 Kč 15.20

106.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.97 Kč 20.24

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.28 Kč 47.61

29.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.50 Kč 52.0

78.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.90 Kč 18.81

53.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.42 Kč 29.58

33.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$2.11 Kč 43.89

-22.27%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.59 Kč 53.9

-3.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$5.82 Kč 121

43.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$5.47 Kč 114

52.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.82 Kč 142

57.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.34 Kč 27.97

94.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.60 Kč 33.45

-8.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.08 Kč 43.30

-8.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$4.02 Kč 83.8

-48.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.96 Kč 20.00

85.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.33 Kč 27.70

64.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.63 Kč 33.88

-36.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.52 Kč 10.75

107.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$6.18 Kč 129

-33.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$5.63 Kč 117

83.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$0.93 Kč 19.49

83.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.87 Kč 39.05

37.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.35 Kč 7.19

45.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$25.83 Kč 539

2.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$2.85 Kč 59.5

14.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.49 Kč 31.06

67.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$15.13 Kč 315

-78.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.75 Kč 36.39

-25.14%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$27.9K Kč 581.7K

8.52%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$29.8K Kč 622.0K

-21.47%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$314 Kč 6,539

-73.58%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$25.02 Kč 522

-11.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$20.54 Kč 428

42.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$53.0 Kč 1,104

-2.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$17.03 Kč 355

7.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$11.48 Kč 239

-55.84%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$427 Kč 8,897

-52.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$14.5K Kč 302.4K

-64.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$87.3 Kč 1,820

-57.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$40.49 Kč 844

-1.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$45.98 Kč 959

70.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$113 Kč 2,352

-22.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$360 Kč 7,504

170.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$323 Kč 6,743

44.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,153 Kč 24.0K

42.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$868 Kč 18.1K

40.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$5,310 Kč 110.7K

-25.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$2,845 Kč 59.3K

128.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,184 Kč 24.7K

-43.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.56

105.40%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Zatec: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $360 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 78% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Zatec. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $190 – 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 Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,923 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,282 in Zatec. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% 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 $1,282, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.