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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $875 in Zgharta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,412 in Zgharta, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,949 in Zgharta, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 44% more than Zgharta, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zgharta are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Zgharta 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$10.77 LBP 963.8K

8.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$61.0 LBP 5.5M

-31.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$7.77 LBP 695.2K

35.26%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$3.24 LBP 289.7K

10.80%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$1.59 LBP 142.5K

-5.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.92 LBP 82.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$3.43 LBP 306.8K

-13.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$4.92 LBP 440.3K

-10.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.71 LBP 152.8K

-18.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$0.79 LBP 70.8K

137.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.77 LBP 158.1K

-11.86%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$3.09 LBP 276.5K

-15.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$11.43 LBP 1.0M

-27.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$9.29 LBP 831.7K

-10.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$11.39 LBP 1.0M

-4.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$1.82 LBP 163.0K

48.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.52 LBP 135.7K

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.09 LBP 97.7K

71.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.08 LBP 97.1K

102.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.01 LBP 90.7K

84.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.04 LBP 93.0K

114.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.86 LBP 77.1K

24.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.52 LBP 46.9K

109.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$2.45 LBP 219.4K

71.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$9.96 LBP 891.6K

4.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.29 LBP 115.2K

28.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.15 LBP 192.1K

21.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$4.91 LBP 439.2K

-37.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$1.22 LBP 109.2K

96.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$20.36 LBP 1.8M

-84.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$0.89 LBP 79.7K

47.19%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$34.6K LBP 3.1B

-13.95%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$27.9K LBP 2.5B

-16.55%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$217 LBP 19.5M

-62.61%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$37.58 LBP 3.4M

-39.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$37.54 LBP 3.4M

-19.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$7.82 LBP 700.3K

-37.08%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$308 LBP 27.6M

-34.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$4,384 LBP 392.3M

18.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$69.8 LBP 6.2M

-48.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$45.17 LBP 4.0M

-11.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$125 LBP 11.1M

-36.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$92.7 LBP 8.3M

-6.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.16

2.33%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Zgharta: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $61.0 in Zgharta. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $233 in Zgharta – so Zgharta 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 Zgharta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,312 in Zgharta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $875 in Zgharta. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $308 in Zgharta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zgharta, where all-in costs run around $875, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Zgharta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zgharta – 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 Zgharta. 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.