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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,139 in Zepce, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,709 in Zepce, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,279 in Zepce, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 15% more than Zepce, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zepce are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Zepce 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$202

$9.96 BAM 16.73

20.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$800

$52.9 BAM 88.9

-10.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$198

$11.23 BAM 18.87

4.63%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$69.6

$1.92 BAM 3.23

114.58%

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

$1.40 MX$23.63

$2.58 BAM 4.33

-45.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.40

$1.67 BAM 2.81

-45.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.1

$2.56 BAM 4.29

25.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$119

$3.59 BAM 6.03

96.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.31

$1.49 BAM 2.50

12.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.31

$1.26 BAM 2.12

70.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.96

$1.68 BAM 2.82

5.36%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.54

$2.92 BAM 4.91

-3.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$155

$10.04 BAM 16.86

-8.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$156

$8.82 BAM 14.82

4.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$213

$14.33 BAM 24.08

-11.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$49.83

$1.91 BAM 3.20

54.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.66

$1.99 BAM 3.34

-20.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.53

$2.30 BAM 3.87

-3.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$39.90

$1.75 BAM 2.93

34.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.65

$1.05 BAM 1.77

89.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.42

$1.41 BAM 2.37

40.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$20.94

$1.17 BAM 1.97

5.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.46

$0.88 BAM 1.47

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$77.7

$3.94 BAM 6.62

16.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$8.21 BAM 13.78

28.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.56

$1.04 BAM 1.75

62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$46.84

$1.40 BAM 2.36

97.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.17

$1.35 BAM 2.26

-55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$502

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.4

$1.80 BAM 3.02

191.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.6

$1.17 BAM 1.96

211.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.7

$18.02 BAM 30.27

-67.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$25.97

$1.68 BAM 2.82

-8.33%

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

$22.8K MX$385.0K

$31.0K BAM 52.1K

-26.49%

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

$25.8K MX$435.8K

$22.0K BAM 36.9K

17.41%

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

$90.7 MX$1,531

$165 BAM 276

-44.89%

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

$25.19 MX$425

$16.96 BAM 28.49

48.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$536

$37.72 BAM 63.4

-15.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,162

$34.03 BAM 57.2

102.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$496

$11.97 BAM 20.11

145.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.1

$3.00 BAM 5.03

62.00%

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

$226 MX$3,811

$299 BAM 503

-24.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$70.8K

$3,694 BAM 6,204

13.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$800

$84.7 BAM 142

-44.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$734

$37.39 BAM 62.8

16.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,355

$111 BAM 187

-28.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,543

$147 BAM 247

-37.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.3K

$361 BAM 607

200.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,900

$258 BAM 434

58.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.3K

$537 BAM 902

267.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.6K

$379 BAM 636

238.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.3K

$2,538 BAM 4,263

59.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.2K

$1,846 BAM 3,101

263.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.44

157.88%

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 Zepce: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $361 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $53.0 in Zepce. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $248 in Zepce – so Zepce wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 15%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,709 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,139 in Zepce. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $299 in Zepce. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zepce, where all-in costs run around $1,139, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.