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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,005 in Zepce, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,544 in Zepce, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,083 in Zepce, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 25% more than Zepce, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zepce are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Zepce 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$8.63 BAM 14.77

38.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$41.27 BAM 70.7

1.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.94 BAM 15.32

20.25%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.57 BAM 2.69

122.93%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.99 BAM 3.41

-27.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.20 BAM 2.06

-26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.12 BAM 3.63

39.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.87 BAM 4.92

57.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.36 BAM 2.33

5.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.29 BAM 2.21

42.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.65 BAM 2.83

-4.85%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.92 BAM 5.01

-14.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$9.26 BAM 15.86

-10.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$8.96 BAM 15.34

-5.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$11.87 BAM 20.33

-10.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.38 BAM 2.37

89.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.60 BAM 2.74

-10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.95 BAM 3.33

0.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.94 BAM 3.33

7.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.24 BAM 2.13

49.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.25 BAM 2.15

73.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.28 BAM 2.20

-19.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.76 BAM 1.30

40.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.64 BAM 6.23

12.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$8.36 BAM 14.32

21.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.71 BAM 1.21

136.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.09 BAM 1.87

132.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.77 BAM 3.03

-71.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$34.81 BAM 59.6

-25.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.44 BAM 2.46

124.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.16 BAM 1.99

107.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$8.81 BAM 15.09

-63.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.53 BAM 2.62

-13.73%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$28.4K BAM 48.7K

4.50%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$27.1K BAM 46.5K

-12.77%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$171 BAM 293

-52.14%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$18.89 BAM 32.36

21.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$23.98 BAM 41.07

25.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$29.94 BAM 51.3

73.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$10.95 BAM 18.75

69.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$2.88 BAM 4.94

72.92%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$236 BAM 404

-16.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$3,638 BAM 6,230

46.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$75.7 BAM 130

-52.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$35.88 BAM 61.5

12.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$88.0 BAM 151

-10.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$125 BAM 214

-28.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$256 BAM 439

269.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$167 BAM 286

184.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$370 BAM 634

343.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$313 BAM 536

286.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,872 BAM 4,919

41.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,967 BAM 3,368

228.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.02

127.49%

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 Zepce: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $256 in Zepce. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $41.00 in Zepce. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $230 – making Zepce 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 Zepce: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 25%, 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 $1,507 in Zepce. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zepce, 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 $1,005 in Zepce. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 34% less in Zepce. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zepce, where all-in costs run around $1,005, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Zepce it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zepce – 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 Zepce. 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.