Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Zugdidi

For one person, living is cheaper in Zugdidi: $701 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Zugdidi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$701
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Zugdidi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Zugdidi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $701 in Zugdidi, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Zugdidi $701

A couple spends around $2,102 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,134 in Zugdidi, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,102
  • Zugdidi $1,134

A family of three spends $3,000 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,567 in Zugdidi, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,000
  • Zugdidi $1,567

Playa del Carmen costs about 72% more than Zugdidi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zugdidi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Zugdidi 48% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Zugdidi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.86 MX$201
$11.18 ₾28.93
-2.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.21 MX$817
$31.24 ₾80.9
41.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 MX$217
$5.92 ₾15.32
98.65%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.0
$3.48 ₾9.01
5.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 MX$24.79
$0.54 ₾1.41
148.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$15.24
$0.26 ₾0.67
215.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.06 MX$56.6
$2.69 ₾6.96
13.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.94 MX$91.2
$3.15 ₾8.15
56.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Zugdidi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.17
$2.15 ₾5.56
-31.63%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$40.95
$0.79 ₾2.05
181.01%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 MX$27.32
$1.81 ₾4.69
-18.23%
Eggs
$2.49 MX$45.99
$2.75 ₾7.13
-9.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.52 MX$139
$9.31 ₾24.10
-19.23%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.96 MX$147
$6.39 ₾16.53
24.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 MX$232
$13.12 ₾33.95
-4.19%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.3
$1.61 ₾4.17
72.67%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MX$26.37
$1.86 ₾4.82
-23.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.62 MX$48.37
$1.93 ₾5.00
35.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 MX$39.49
$2.39 ₾6.19
-10.46%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.38
$0.88 ₾2.28
129.55%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.74
$0.69 ₾1.80
188.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.01
$1.42 ₾3.67
-19.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$22.18
$0.47 ₾1.23
155.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 MX$78.7
$3.41 ₾8.82
24.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.02 MX$185
$7.85 ₾20.32
27.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 MX$28.41
$1.71 ₾4.42
-9.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 MX$49.17
$2.30 ₾5.95
15.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Zugdidi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.53 MX$9.73
$0.18 ₾0.46
194.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.51 MX$508
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.90 MX$90.6
$1.14 ₾2.96
329.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.43 MX$63.5
$0.74 ₾1.91
363.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.38 MX$99.4
$11.84 ₾30.65
-54.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$26.76
$0.92 ₾2.37
57.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$391.0K
$18.3K ₾47.5K
15.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K MX$425.3K
$21.6K ₾55.9K
6.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Zugdidi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.4 MX$1,577
$89.5 ₾232
-4.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.46 MX$434
$12.90 ₾33.40
81.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.43 MX$525
$19.38 ₾50.2
46.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Zugdidi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.2 MX$1,149
$24.73 ₾64.0
151.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.68 MX$530
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.10 MX$94.3
$4.72 ₾12.23
8.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Zugdidi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,715
$374 ₾968
-46.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,947 MX$72.9K
$10.7K ₾27.8K
-63.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Zugdidi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.39 MX$820
$23.62 ₾61.1
87.93%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.35 MX$764
$39.47 ₾102
4.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.7 MX$1,344
$118 ₾305
-38.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.6 MX$1,656
$126 ₾326
-28.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Zugdidi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$979 MX$18.1K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$373 MX$6,887
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,681 MX$31.1K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,095 MX$20.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,949 MX$73.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,137 MX$113.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Zugdidi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$738 MX$13.6K
$268 ₾694
175.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
12.62
-9.27%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Last update for Zugdidi: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$373
Zugdidi
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$258
Zugdidi
$230 11% $28
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Zugdidi
$172 14.2% $28
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Zugdidi
$122 11.2% $15
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Zugdidi
$138 23.6% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$72
Zugdidi
$34 52.8% $38
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$52
Zugdidi
$5.6 * 89.3% $46

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 175% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $44.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $31.00 in Zugdidi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $230 – making Zugdidi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇬🇪 Zugdidi
🕒 Local time
08:24 8:24 AM
17:24 5:24 PM
9 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
41,332
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Zugdidi 11,260 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Zugdidi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Zugdidi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zugdidi cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 72%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,052 in Zugdidi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Zugdidi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $701 in Zugdidi. That's a gap of about 72%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $374 in Zugdidi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Zugdidi?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zugdidi, where all-in costs run around $701, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Zugdidi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Zugdidi more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Zugdidi – 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 Zugdidi?
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 Zugdidi. 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

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