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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,388 in Zgorzelec, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,057 in Zgorzelec, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,725 in Zgorzelec, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 7% cheaper than Zgorzelec, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Zgorzelec is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$9.32 zł 33.98

25.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$48.63 zł 177

-14.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.17 zł 29.78

30.23%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$3.28 zł 11.97

7.32%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$0.92 zł 3.36

64.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$1.68 zł 6.14

-42.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.59 zł 5.80

85.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.18 zł 7.96

104.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$1.01 zł 3.67

36.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$1.31 zł 4.77

44.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$1.65 zł 6.03

-0.61%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$3.23 zł 11.80

-22.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.09 zł 36.80

-17.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.50 zł 23.72

28.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$11.78 zł 42.95

-8.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$0.92 zł 3.35

182.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.66 zł 6.04

-12.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$1.76 zł 6.43

7.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$1.61 zł 5.88

29.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$0.70 zł 2.56

154.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$1.15 zł 4.20

90.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$1.31 zł 4.76

-20.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.66 zł 2.39

63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$4.87 zł 17.76

-16.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$8.26 zł 30.11

24.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$0.91 zł 3.33

87.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$1.55 zł 5.66

66.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.11 zł 4.04

-54.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$32.45 zł 118

-18.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.13 zł 7.75

53.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$0.90 zł 3.27

176.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$10.79 zł 39.33

-69.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$1.71 zł 6.22

-23.39%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$33.2K zł 121.0K

-8.78%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$32.4K zł 118.0K

-27.62%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$277 zł 1,011

-70.12%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$10.07 zł 36.73

120.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$17.44 zł 63.6

68.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$35.85 zł 131

44.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$19.48 zł 71.0

-5.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$7.62 zł 27.79

-33.46%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$409 zł 1,490

-50.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$6,725 zł 24.5K

-22.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$91.5 zł 334

-59.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$37.26 zł 136

6.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$93.3 zł 340

-15.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$105 zł 383

-17.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$660 zł 2,406

47.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$491 zł 1,790

-4.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$984 zł 3,589

66.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$801 zł 2,922

52.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$2,951 zł 10.8K

33.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$2,634 zł 9,605

146.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,469 zł 5,355

-54.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.8

67.94%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Zgorzelec: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $660 in Zgorzelec. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 121% higher in Zgorzelec, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $49.00 in Zgorzelec. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $212 in Zgorzelec – so Zgorzelec 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 Zgorzelec: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Zgorzelec is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,082 in Zgorzelec. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,388 in Zgorzelec. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 23% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Zgorzelec at $1,388. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zgorzelec it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zgorzelec makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.