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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,271 in Zatec, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,909 in Zatec, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,546 in Zatec, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 1% cheaper than Zatec, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zatec are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Zatec 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$6.89 Kč 146

74.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$18.94 Kč 401

120.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$9.24 Kč 196

16.34%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.07 Kč 65.1

14.01%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.73 Kč 15.40

98.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.89 Kč 18.79

-1.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.29 Kč 48.44

28.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.63 Kč 55.7

71.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.82 Kč 17.32

74.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.39 Kč 29.40

32.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.13 Kč 45.03

-26.29%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.49 Kč 52.7

0.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$5.68 Kč 120

45.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.56 Kč 118

51.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.10 Kč 150

50.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.34 Kč 28.40

94.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.66 Kč 35.14

-13.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.11 Kč 44.68

-7.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$3.99 Kč 84.5

-47.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.90 Kč 19.02

105.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.32 Kč 27.99

64.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.59 Kč 33.71

-35.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.53 Kč 11.22

101.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$5.97 Kč 127

-31.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$5.79 Kč 123

75.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.87 Kč 18.38

93.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.79 Kč 37.89

41.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.32 Kč 6.76

59.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$26.10 Kč 553

-0.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.86 Kč 60.7

12.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.54 Kč 32.73

56.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$15.33 Kč 325

-78.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.73 Kč 36.70

-23.70%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$27.6K Kč 584.1K

7.72%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$29.7K Kč 629.2K

-20.31%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$303 Kč 6,429

-72.97%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$25.01 Kč 530

-8.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$21.07 Kč 447

42.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$54.0 Kč 1,145

-3.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$16.53 Kč 350

12.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$11.56 Kč 245

-56.92%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$439 Kč 9,293

-54.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$14.4K Kč 304.3K

-62.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$88.0 Kč 1,864

-59.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$40.37 Kč 856

-0.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$47.00 Kč 996

67.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$113 Kč 2,402

-21.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$365 Kč 7,726

159.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$331 Kč 7,005

43.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,164 Kč 24.7K

41.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$882 Kč 18.7K

37.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$4,424 Kč 93.7K

-8.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$3,823 Kč 81.0K

69.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$1,155 Kč 24.5K

-43.38%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Zatec: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $365 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 77% higher in Zatec, 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 $19.00 in Zatec. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $189 – 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 – Zatec 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,907 in Zatec. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,271 in Zatec. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 0% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Zatec at $1,271. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zatec it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zatec makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.