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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $896 in Zgharta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,433 in Zgharta, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,971 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 5% lower, Zgharta 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$10.86 LBP 972.3K

9.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$59.4 LBP 5.3M

-27.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.17 LBP 731.3K

30.35%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.41 LBP 304.8K

1.17%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.64 LBP 147.1K

-8.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.88 LBP 79.0K

7.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$3.54 LBP 317.2K

-14.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$4.95 LBP 442.7K

-6.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.78 LBP 159.0K

-22.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.79 LBP 71.0K

134.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.78 LBP 159.2K

-9.55%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.19 LBP 285.3K

-18.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$11.47 LBP 1.0M

-27.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$9.78 LBP 875.1K

-14.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$11.50 LBP 1.0M

-7.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.78 LBP 159.4K

47.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.45 LBP 130.1K

2.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.09 LBP 97.4K

76.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.10 LBP 98.4K

90.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.92 LBP 82.8K

102.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.01 LBP 90.2K

123.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.87 LBP 78.1K

21.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.52 LBP 46.1K

109.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.54 LBP 227.5K

63.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$10.06 LBP 899.9K

3.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.27 LBP 114.1K

35.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.19 LBP 196.2K

19.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$4.88 LBP 436.5K

-35.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.22 LBP 109.4K

105.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$20.24 LBP 1.8M

-84.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.89 LBP 79.7K

42.70%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$35.7K LBP 3.2B

-14.88%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

-15.78%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$218 LBP 19.5M

-62.00%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$37.70 LBP 3.4M

-39.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$36.91 LBP 3.3M

-20.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$8.18 LBP 732.2K

-39.73%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$305 LBP 27.3M

-35.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$4,455 LBP 398.7M

18.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$72.2 LBP 6.5M

-48.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$44.16 LBP 4.0M

-9.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$123 LBP 11.0M

-34.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$93.6 LBP 8.4M

-4.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Zgharta: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $59.0 in Zgharta. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $236 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,344 in Zgharta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $896 in Zgharta. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $305 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 $896, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.