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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $426 in Zawiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $654 in Zawiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $881 in Zawiya, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 206% more than Zawiya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zawiya are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Zawiya 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$2.30 LYD 14.53

420.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$15.04 LYD 94.9

215.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$2.54 LYD 16.00

362.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.48 LYD 3.06

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 LYD 3.90

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$0.42 LYD 2.63

880.95%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.42 LYD 2.64

233.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.09 LYD 0.57

911.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.91 LYD 5.72

84.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.20 LYD 1.26

975.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.12 LYD 7.05

58.04%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.03 LYD 6.48

173.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$4.66 LYD 29.43

97.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$3.32 LYD 20.97

178.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$8.86 LYD 55.9

42.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.85 LYD 11.70

59.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.24 LYD 7.83

27.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$0.71 LYD 4.47

212.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.53 LYD 3.32

345.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.49 LYD 3.09

306.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.27 LYD 1.70

633.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.30 LYD 1.88

313.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.18 LYD 1.13

572.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.77 LYD 4.89

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 LYD 4.63

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 LYD 5.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$1.67 LYD 10.55

175.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.77 LYD 4.84

-22.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$39.03 LYD 246

-23.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.78 LYD 4.92

571.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.49 LYD 3.11

644.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$2.40 LYD 15.16

140.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.02 LYD 0.13

7600.00%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$15.6K LYD 98.8K

45.72%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$14.0K LYD 88.5K

84.05%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$93.3 LYD 589

-2.83%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$5.67 LYD 35.81

344.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$12.23 LYD 77.2

159.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$17.20 LYD 109

299.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$3.92 LYD 24.75

649.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$3.85 LYD 24.32

26.23%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$52.7 LYD 332

328.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$628 LYD 3,966

567.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$21.22 LYD 134

123.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$17.59 LYD 111

147.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$27.97 LYD 177

186.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$31.76 LYD 200

187.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$91.1 LYD 575

1092.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$58.2 LYD 367

602.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$171 LYD 1,082

1049.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$116 LYD 735

1000.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$469 LYD 2,960

762.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$38.80 LYD 245

17178.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$255 LYD 1,611

202.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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 Zawiya: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $91.1 in Zawiya. 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 203% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $15.00 in Zawiya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $104 – making Zawiya 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 Zawiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 206%, 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 $639 in Zawiya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zawiya, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $426 in Zawiya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 31% less in Zawiya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zawiya, where all-in costs run around $426, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Zawiya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zawiya – 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 Zawiya. 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.