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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,099 in Zihuatanejo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,774 in Zihuatanejo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,449 in Zihuatanejo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 18% more than Zihuatanejo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zihuatanejo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Zihuatanejo 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$205

$10.60 MX$185

10.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$727

$39.40 MX$688

5.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$186

$7.72 MX$135

37.82%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.5

$3.26 MX$56.9

7.98%

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

$1.51 MX$26.37

$1.25 MX$21.75

20.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.00

$0.90 MX$15.80

7.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$2.41 MX$42.08

22.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.8

$3.96 MX$69.1

12.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.16

$1.43 MX$24.94

-3.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$33.04

$3.53 MX$61.7

-46.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.59

$1.54 MX$26.95

6.49%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.76

$4.14 MX$72.3

-39.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$7.85 MX$137

6.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$8.03 MX$140

3.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$187

$10.53 MX$184

1.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.48

$2.62 MX$45.69

-0.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.45

$1.43 MX$24.99

2.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.19

$1.78 MX$31.13

6.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.26

$1.57 MX$27.47

32.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.01

$1.93 MX$33.76

-7.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.16

$1.94 MX$33.86

12.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.16

$1.27 MX$22.12

-18.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.80

$1.02 MX$17.86

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.3

$4.25 MX$74.3

-4.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$180

$11.39 MX$199

-9.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.90

$1.60 MX$27.98

6.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.98

$2.72 MX$47.50

-5.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$0.65 MX$11.28

-21.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.0

$2.63 MX$45.91

23.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.51

$1.60 MX$27.90

55.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.7

$8.18 MX$143

-60.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.83

$1.26 MX$21.98

3.97%

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

$30.3K MX$528.8K

$21.5K MX$375.9K

40.70%

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

$23.4K MX$409.2K

$22.5K MX$393.2K

4.06%

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

$82.9 MX$1,447

$56.8 MX$991

46.03%

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

$22.22 MX$388

$10.47 MX$183

112.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$512

$27.82 MX$486

5.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$902

$35.67 MX$623

44.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

$15.82 MX$276

15.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$88.5

$4.60 MX$80.3

10.22%

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

$201 MX$3,507

$210 MX$3,667

-4.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.0K

$3,536 MX$61.8K

47.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$645

$52.9 MX$925

-30.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$695

$39.31 MX$686

1.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,370

$89.8 MX$1,569

-12.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,521

$80.0 MX$1,398

8.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$17.0K

$518 MX$9,049

87.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,169

$404 MX$7,047

15.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.7K

$926 MX$16.2K

77.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.3K

$757 MX$13.2K

61.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

$1,920 MX$33.5K

105.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.5K

$1,086 MX$19.0K

498.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.48

-0.52%

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 Zihuatanejo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $518 in Zihuatanejo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $39.00 in Zihuatanejo. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $268 in Zihuatanejo – so Playa del Carmen 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 Zihuatanejo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $1,649 in Zihuatanejo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zihuatanejo, 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 $1,099 in Zihuatanejo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $210 in Zihuatanejo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zihuatanejo, where all-in costs run around $1,099, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Zihuatanejo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zihuatanejo – 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 Zihuatanejo. 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.