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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $995 in Zgharta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,580 in Zgharta, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,165 in Zgharta, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 31% 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 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$12.19 LBP 1.1M

-1.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$63.3 LBP 5.7M

-25.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$9.96 LBP 891.1K

17.97%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$4.58 LBP 409.6K

-10.04%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$2.30 LBP 205.5K

-39.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.86 LBP 76.8K

5.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$4.87 LBP 435.9K

-34.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$4.87 LBP 435.7K

45.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.96 LBP 175.2K

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.88 LBP 78.6K

144.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$2.12 LBP 190.1K

-16.51%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$3.64 LBP 325.3K

-22.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$13.56 LBP 1.2M

-32.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$10.54 LBP 943.1K

-12.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$14.26 LBP 1.3M

-11.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.01 LBP 269.4K

-1.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.65 LBP 147.3K

-4.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.60 LBP 143.3K

38.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.54 LBP 137.7K

53.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.35 LBP 120.8K

47.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.64 LBP 146.9K

20.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.17 LBP 104.4K

5.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.74 LBP 65.9K

63.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.96 LBP 264.7K

55.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$10.02 LBP 897.1K

4.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.34 LBP 119.5K

26.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.46 LBP 220.3K

12.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$4.88 LBP 436.6K

7.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$2.19 LBP 196.3K

66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$22.28 LBP 2.0M

-74.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.00 LBP 89.7K

54.00%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$53.2K LBP 4.8B

-57.17%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$32.3K LBP 2.9B

-20.15%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$227 LBP 20.3M

-60.01%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$23.70 LBP 2.1M

6.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$37.97 LBP 3.4M

-16.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$10.09 LBP 903.1K

-51.83%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$681 LBP 60.9M

-66.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$10.9K LBP 978.0M

-61.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$67.0 LBP 6.0M

-29.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$49.70 LBP 4.4M

-12.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$137 LBP 12.3M

-41.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$121 LBP 10.8M

-24.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.09%

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 Zgharta: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $63.0 in Zgharta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $279 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Zgharta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 31%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,493 in Zgharta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $995 in Zgharta. 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 $681 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 $995, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.