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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $905 in Zgharta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,431 in Zgharta, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,957 in Zgharta, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 42% more than Zgharta, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zgharta are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Zgharta 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$10.97 LBP 981.7K

8.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$61.1 LBP 5.5M

-29.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.96 LBP 712.0K

33.04%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.43 LBP 306.9K

5.54%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.59 LBP 142.6K

-7.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.92 LBP 82.5K

2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$3.60 LBP 321.9K

-14.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$4.90 LBP 438.8K

-8.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.70 LBP 152.0K

-15.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.78 LBP 70.1K

141.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.74 LBP 156.0K

-6.32%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$3.12 LBP 278.8K

-15.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$11.14 LBP 996.8K

-26.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$9.36 LBP 837.7K

-11.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$11.46 LBP 1.0M

-3.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.79 LBP 160.5K

48.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.53 LBP 137.0K

-1.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.09 LBP 97.8K

82.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.09 LBP 97.9K

90.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.02 LBP 91.1K

75.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.04 LBP 93.2K

109.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.86 LBP 77.3K

25.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.52 LBP 46.3K

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.44 LBP 218.7K

62.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$10.84 LBP 970.1K

-5.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.27 LBP 114.1K

36.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.15 LBP 192.0K

16.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$5.02 LBP 449.2K

-37.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.28 LBP 114.4K

87.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$19.70 LBP 1.8M

-84.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.87 LBP 78.3K

45.98%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$35.3K LBP 3.2B

-12.41%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$27.8K LBP 2.5B

-16.23%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$212 LBP 19.0M

-61.29%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$37.94 LBP 3.4M

-40.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$37.69 LBP 3.4M

-21.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$7.91 LBP 708.0K

-37.17%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$302 LBP 27.0M

-34.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$4,479 LBP 400.9M

17.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$70.9 LBP 6.3M

-48.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$44.38 LBP 4.0M

-9.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$122 LBP 10.9M

-34.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$92.8 LBP 8.3M

-4.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Zgharta: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $61.0 in Zgharta. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $234 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 42%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,357 in Zgharta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $905 in Zgharta. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $302 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 $905, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.