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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,479 in Zgorzelec, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,276 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,177 in Zgorzelec, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,280 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,875 in Zgorzelec, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 14% cheaper than Zgorzelec, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Zgorzelec is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.84 MX$222

$9.36 zł 34.86

37.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.54 MX$786

$52.1 zł 194

-12.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.58 MX$217

$8.22 zł 30.60

53.04%

Cappuccino

$3.93 MX$67.7

$3.23 zł 12.02

21.67%

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

$1.38 MX$23.85

$0.96 zł 3.59

43.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 MX$13.02

$1.71 zł 6.37

-56.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$52.5

$1.63 zł 6.07

86.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.80 MX$117

$2.10 zł 7.80

223.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MX$28.75

$1.00 zł 3.74

67.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$38.25

$1.28 zł 4.76

73.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 MX$29.29

$1.45 zł 5.38

17.24%

Eggs

$2.67 MX$45.99

$3.61 zł 13.43

-26.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 MX$158

$9.38 zł 34.94

-2.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.94 MX$154

$6.19 zł 23.03

44.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.54 MX$216

$13.10 zł 48.79

-4.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MX$51.6

$0.94 zł 3.52

218.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MX$26.43

$1.64 zł 6.09

-6.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 MX$36.95

$1.76 zł 6.56

21.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 MX$39.56

$1.64 zł 6.10

39.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.39

$0.66 zł 2.44

210.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.24

$1.10 zł 4.11

85.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MX$20.90

$1.33 zł 4.95

-9.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 MX$20.35

$0.73 zł 2.73

61.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.62 MX$79.8

$5.08 zł 18.91

-9.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.41 MX$180

$8.07 zł 30.06

29.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.42

$0.89 zł 3.32

85.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 MX$50.5

$1.42 zł 5.28

106.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 MX$10.25

$1.28 zł 4.75

-53.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.43 MX$491

$27.63 zł 103

2.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 MX$87.4

$2.47 zł 9.20

105.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.66 MX$63.1

$1.05 zł 3.89

248.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 MX$101

$13.23 zł 49.25

-55.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 MX$27.06

$1.63 zł 6.06

-3.68%

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

$22.3K MX$384.7K

$32.0K zł 119.2K

-30.34%

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

$25.7K MX$444.2K

$28.6K zł 106.4K

-9.94%

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

$88.7 MX$1,530

$306 zł 1,139

-71.01%

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

$22.82 MX$394

$8.14 zł 30.30

180.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.42 MX$525

$20.35 zł 75.8

49.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 MX$1,178

$39.98 zł 149

70.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.60 MX$494

$24.28 zł 90.4

17.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 MX$85.3

$7.87 zł 29.31

-37.23%

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

$216 MX$3,730

$513 zł 1,909

-57.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,146 MX$71.5K

$7,804 zł 29.1K

-46.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.48 MX$802

$84.5 zł 315

-44.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.13 MX$762

$39.11 zł 146

12.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 MX$1,591

$91.5 zł 341

0.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.4 MX$1,611

$113 zł 422

-17.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 MX$18.6K

$712 zł 2,651

51.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 MX$6,715

$460 zł 1,714

-15.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$33.4K

$1,171 zł 4,361

65.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 MX$22.0K

$893 zł 3,326

43.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,958 MX$68.3K

$3,437 zł 12.8K

15.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,438 MX$111.1K

$2,017 zł 7,512

219.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$752 MX$13.0K

$1,405 zł 5,233

-46.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

6.65

74.44%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 4, 2026

Last update for Zgorzelec: August 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,080 in Playa del Carmen versus $712 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 87% 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $52.0 in Zgorzelec. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Playa del Carmen vs $213 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 16%, 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 $1,907 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,219 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,479 in Zgorzelec. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3% 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 $1,271, than in Zgorzelec at $1,479. 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.