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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,587 in Zlin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,218 in Zlin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,849 in Zlin, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 21% cheaper than Zlin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Zlin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Zlin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.99 MX$209
$9.13 Kč 194
31.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78 MX$728
$37.06 Kč 785
12.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.75 MX$187
$6.25 Kč 132
72.00%
Cappuccino
$3.50 MX$60.9
$2.89 Kč 61.3
21.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 MX$25.22
$1.86 Kč 39.41
-22.04%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 MX$15.41
$1.43 Kč 30.32
-38.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 MX$51.3
$2.26 Kč 47.96
30.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.51 MX$78.6
$2.86 Kč 60.5
57.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Zlin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.94
$1.06 Kč 22.52
34.91%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 MX$31.99
$1.29 Kč 27.37
42.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 MX$27.31
$2.38 Kč 50.5
-34.03%
Eggs
$2.51 MX$43.74
$3.50 Kč 74.1
-28.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.28 MX$144
$12.86 Kč 273
-35.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.43 MX$147
$9.49 Kč 201
-11.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.68 MX$186
$12.88 Kč 273
-17.08%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 MX$45.43
$1.82 Kč 38.56
43.41%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 MX$25.04
$1.52 Kč 32.19
-5.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 MX$34.16
$2.23 Kč 47.32
-12.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$36.47
$3.21 Kč 68.0
-34.89%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 MX$32.24
$1.13 Kč 23.95
63.72%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.74
$1.02 Kč 21.59
112.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 MX$17.96
$1.48 Kč 31.41
-30.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MX$18.70
$0.66 Kč 13.93
62.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.10 MX$71.4
$7.66 Kč 162
-46.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.17 MX$177
$6.51 Kč 138
56.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$29.17
$0.78 Kč 16.54
115.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 MX$43.98
$2.16 Kč 45.79
17.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Zlin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$8.87
$1.19 Kč 25.12
-57.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.04 MX$453
$27.61 Kč 585
-5.69%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.3
$2.32 Kč 49.12
39.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.41 MX$41.88
$1.06 Kč 22.43
127.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.2
$14.26 Kč 302
-77.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 MX$23.00
$1.74 Kč 36.82
-24.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K MX$517.1K
$23.3K Kč 494.8K
27.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7K MX$412.0K
$25.7K Kč 543.5K
-7.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Zlin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,428
$308 Kč 6,526
-73.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.95 MX$400
$26.41 Kč 560
-13.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.11 MX$524
$19.61 Kč 416
53.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Zlin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.0 MX$905
$45.87 Kč 972
13.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.53 MX$323
$9.40 Kč 199
97.13%
Cinema Ticket
$4.98 MX$86.6
$9.84 Kč 208
-49.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Zlin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,438
$899 Kč 19.0K
-78.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,336 MX$92.9K
$14.4K Kč 306.0K
-63.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Zlin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.60 MX$620
$83.1 Kč 1,761
-57.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.33 MX$702
$34.32 Kč 727
17.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 MX$1,371
$98.3 Kč 2,083
-19.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,549
$126 Kč 2,661
-29.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Zlin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$947 MX$16.5K
$702 Kč 14.9K
34.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$474 MX$8,254
$580 Kč 12.3K
-18.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,644 MX$28.6K
$1,169 Kč 24.8K
40.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,211 MX$21.1K
$835 Kč 17.7K
44.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,056 MX$70.6K
$5,073 Kč 107.5K
-20.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,470 MX$112.7K
$3,541 Kč 75.0K
82.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Zlin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 MX$11.4K
$1,519 Kč 32.2K
-56.95%
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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Zlin: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $702 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 132% 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 $255 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
Is Zlin cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Zlin is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,380 in Zlin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Zlin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,587 in Zlin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 6% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Zlin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Zlin at $1,587. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zlin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Zlin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Zlin?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

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