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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,640 in Zlin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,261 in Zlin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,881 in Zlin, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 21% cheaper than Zlin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Zlin is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$9.17 Kč 191

27.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$36.92 Kč 770

12.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.12 Kč 128

73.86%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.95 Kč 61.4

19.32%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.84 Kč 38.31

-17.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.49 Kč 31.16

-34.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.28 Kč 47.47

29.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.74 Kč 57.1

62.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.03 Kč 21.40

33.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.33 Kč 27.77

42.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$2.42 Kč 50.4

-32.23%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$3.50 Kč 73.0

-28.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$12.87 Kč 268

-35.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$9.24 Kč 193

-9.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$13.32 Kč 278

-19.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.84 Kč 38.29

41.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.56 Kč 32.48

-6.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.27 Kč 47.41

-16.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$3.15 Kč 65.7

-33.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.14 Kč 23.67

56.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.02 Kč 21.31

114.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.49 Kč 31.10

-30.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.65 Kč 13.50

66.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$7.43 Kč 155

-45.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$6.97 Kč 145

48.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$0.75 Kč 15.56

128.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.16 Kč 45.03

19.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.15 Kč 23.98

-55.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$28.44 Kč 593

-6.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$2.28 Kč 47.58

42.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.10 Kč 22.84

126.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$13.91 Kč 290

-76.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.70 Kč 35.41

-22.94%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$23.3K Kč 485.5K

30.01%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$25.3K Kč 528.3K

-7.54%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$312 Kč 6,503

-73.43%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$26.51 Kč 553

-16.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$20.13 Kč 420

45.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$47.23 Kč 985

9.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$9.24 Kč 193

98.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$9.77 Kč 204

-48.11%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$897 Kč 18.7K

-77.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$14.4K Kč 300.5K

-63.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$85.7 Kč 1,788

-56.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$34.21 Kč 713

16.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$96.1 Kč 2,004

-18.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$125 Kč 2,600

-30.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$716 Kč 14.9K

35.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$594 Kč 12.4K

-21.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,145 Kč 23.9K

43.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$845 Kč 17.6K

44.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$5,269 Kč 109.8K

-25.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$3,677 Kč 76.7K

76.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,544 Kč 32.2K

-57.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.84

135.95%

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 Zlin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $716 in Zlin. 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 133% higher in Zlin, 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 $37.00 in Zlin. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $257 in Zlin – 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 Zlin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Zlin is pricier by about 27%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $2,461 in Zlin. 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 $1,640 in Zlin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% 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 Zlin at $1,640. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zlin 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, Zlin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.