😐A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $321 in Zliten, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $516 in Zliten, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $712 in Zliten, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 293% more than Zliten, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Zliten are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen5% lower, Zliten76% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Zliten
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.72MX$203
$3.01LYD 19.18
289.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.89MX$725
$14.61LYD 93.2
186.72%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.51MX$182
$2.41LYD 15.38
336.10%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.53LYD 3.36
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.72LYD 4.61
-
Cappuccino
$3.59MX$62.0
$0.42LYD 2.66
754.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51MX$26.10
$0.45LYD 2.85
235.56%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92MX$15.83
$0.11LYD 0.69
736.36%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.96MX$51.2
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41MX$76.3
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Zliten
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.40MX$24.16
$0.86LYD 5.46
62.79%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.60
$0.21LYD 1.33
795.24%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.56MX$26.97
$0.86LYD 5.47
81.40%
Eggs
$2.61MX$45.14
$1.24LYD 7.87
110.48%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.32MX$144
$4.42LYD 28.17
88.24%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.35MX$145
$2.85LYD 18.15
192.98%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.86MX$188
$10.19LYD 65.0
6.58%
Apples(1kg)
$2.71MX$46.93
$1.08LYD 6.91
150.93%
Banana(1kg)
$1.51MX$26.04
$1.20LYD 7.68
25.83%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.87MX$32.41
$0.63LYD 4.00
196.83%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.19MX$37.89
$0.56LYD 3.59
291.07%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$32.14
$0.70LYD 4.45
165.71%
Onion(1kg)
$2.23MX$38.59
$0.51LYD 3.24
337.25%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.07MX$18.48
$0.33LYD 2.13
224.24%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.79
$0.20LYD 1.27
445.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$1.21LYD 7.74
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.66LYD 4.23
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.44LYD 2.80
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19MX$72.4
$1.84LYD 11.75
127.72%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.43MX$180
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66MX$28.68
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$45.19
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Zliten
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.37
$0.18LYD 1.17
200.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.16MX$453
$8.22LYD 52.4
218.25%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.08MX$53.3
$0.88LYD 5.63
250.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.61
$0.89LYD 5.65
169.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$54.1
$3.68LYD 23.46
-14.95%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31MX$22.69
$0.03LYD 0.20
4266.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8KMX$515.7K
$14.0KLYD 89.1K
113.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$403.5K
$15.8KLYD 100.8K
47.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Zliten
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$81.3MX$1,406
$18.66LYD 119
335.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.56MX$390
$5.35LYD 34.08
321.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.05MX$520
$22.61LYD 144
32.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Zliten
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.9MX$915
$16.32LYD 104
224.20%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39MX$318
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.92MX$85.1
$4.48LYD 28.54
9.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Zliten
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$201MX$3,474
$36.57LYD 233
449.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,175MX$89.5K
$645LYD 4,109
702.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Zliten
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.92MX$622
$11.06LYD 70.5
224.77%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.13MX$694
$11.81LYD 75.3
239.80%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.7MX$1,379
$42.03LYD 268
89.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5MX$1,496
$22.22LYD 142
289.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Zliten
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$978MX$16.9K
$73.4LYD 468
1231.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$470MX$8,140
$51.0LYD 325
821.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,651MX$28.6K
$194LYD 1,236
751.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,203MX$20.8K
$90.9LYD 580
1223.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,953MX$68.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,607MX$114.3K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Zliten
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$677MX$11.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
12.5
-8.64%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026
Last update for Zliten: July 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $73.4 in Zliten. 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 $15.00 in Zliten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $102 – making Zliten 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 Zliten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zliten cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 293%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $481 in Zliten. 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 Zliten, 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 Zliten?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $321 in Zliten. 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 218% less in Zliten. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Zliten?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zliten, where all-in costs run around $321, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Zliten it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Zliten more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Zliten – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Zliten. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared