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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $410 in Zawiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $688 in Zawiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $965 in Zawiya, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 216% more than Zawiya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zawiya are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Zawiya 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.80 LYD 17.78

318.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$18.48 LYD 118

125.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.63 LYD 23.10

193.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.57 LYD 3.61

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 LYD 4.30

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$0.49 LYD 3.10

618.37%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.49 LYD 3.12

208.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.12 LYD 0.75

708.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.03 LYD 6.55

33.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.23 LYD 1.46

721.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.24 LYD 7.86

32.26%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.23 LYD 7.85

104.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$5.02 LYD 31.94

66.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.27 LYD 20.81

155.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.09 LYD 64.2

6.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.06 LYD 13.11

26.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.27 LYD 8.09

14.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$0.83 LYD 5.25

128.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.55 LYD 3.52

278.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.58 LYD 3.66

206.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.31 LYD 1.97

606.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.38 LYD 2.43

173.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.17 LYD 1.07

535.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.75 LYD 4.78

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 LYD 4.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 LYD 4.07

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$1.84 LYD 11.73

121.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.93 LYD 5.92

-45.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$46.59 LYD 296

-43.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.96 LYD 6.11

239.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.89 LYD 5.67

179.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$2.74 LYD 17.42

18.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.03 LYD 0.18

4266.67%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$13.7K LYD 87.4K

120.29%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$16.2K LYD 103.1K

44.58%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$32.55 LYD 207

154.59%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$6.52 LYD 41.44

240.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$14.02 LYD 89.2

109.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$20.08 LYD 128

157.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$4.48 LYD 28.49

308.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$4.55 LYD 28.93

11.43%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$53.1 LYD 337

278.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$908 LYD 5,772

474.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$21.60 LYD 137

70.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$34.94 LYD 222

13.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$31.97 LYD 203

145.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$36.00 LYD 229

141.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$107 LYD 679

810.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$69.1 LYD 440

576.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$201 LYD 1,280

715.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$136 LYD 863

799.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$470 LYD 2,988

739.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$38.66 LYD 246

16707.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$260 LYD 1,653

155.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

17.5

-34.74%

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 Zawiya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $107 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 155% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $18.00 in Zawiya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $114 – 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 216%, 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 $615 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $410 in Zawiya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 76% 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 $410, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.