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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,930 in Zlin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,631 in Zlin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,333 in Zlin, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 33% cheaper than Zlin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Zlin is 40% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$9.77 Kč 203

19.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$36.77 Kč 764

26.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$6.85 Kč 142

70.07%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$3.31 Kč 68.8

23.56%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$2.15 Kč 44.66

-36.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$1.68 Kč 34.99

-50.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$2.47 Kč 51.3

35.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$2.96 Kč 61.6

133.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$1.07 Kč 22.29

61.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$1.25 Kč 26.06

80.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$2.34 Kč 48.73

-24.36%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$3.67 Kč 76.3

-25.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$13.81 Kč 287

-33.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$10.05 Kč 209

-11.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$14.91 Kč 310

-15.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$1.74 Kč 36.19

73.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$1.81 Kč 37.66

-13.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$2.22 Kč 46.18

-4.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$3.59 Kč 74.6

-37.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$1.11 Kč 23.11

80.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$0.97 Kč 20.15

112.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.49 Kč 30.98

-20.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.68 Kč 14.18

76.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$7.58 Kč 157

-38.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$7.00 Kč 145

52.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$0.87 Kč 18.16

86.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$2.03 Kč 42.22

41.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.91 Kč 18.94

-37.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$29.13 Kč 606

2.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$2.81 Kč 58.4

93.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$1.72 Kč 35.84

115.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$16.31 Kč 339

-63.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.76 Kč 36.59

-11.93%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$31.9K Kč 662.4K

-29.94%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$30.5K Kč 634.4K

-14.98%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$437 Kč 9,087

-79.61%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$20.23 Kč 421

23.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$20.29 Kč 422

55.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$52.4 Kč 1,088

29.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$12.41 Kč 258

133.04%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$11.15 Kč 232

-54.71%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$263 Kč 5,463

-14.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$5,636 Kč 117.1K

-25.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$116 Kč 2,409

-59.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$35.64 Kč 741

26.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$139 Kč 2,886

-40.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$116 Kč 2,410

-20.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$819 Kč 17.0K

30.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$691 Kč 14.4K

-41.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,237 Kč 25.7K

56.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$934 Kč 19.4K

39.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$5,280 Kč 109.7K

-24.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$3,656 Kč 76.0K

81.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$1,576 Kč 32.8K

-52.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.33

114.82%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Zlin: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $819 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 110% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Zlin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $272 – making Zlin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 49%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,895 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $1,930 in Zlin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% 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 $1,293, than in Zlin at $1,930. 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.