Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Zurrieq

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,910 in Zurrieq, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Zurrieq, Malta
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Zurrieq
🇲🇹 Malta
$1,910
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Zurrieq actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,910 in Zurrieq, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Zurrieq $1,910

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,989 in Zurrieq, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Zurrieq $2,989

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,069 in Zurrieq, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Zurrieq $4,069

Playa del Carmen is about 37% cheaper than Zurrieq, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Zurrieq is 40% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Zurrieq
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$19.24 €17.16
-43.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$813
$85.1 €75.9
-49.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$13.25 €11.83
-11.09%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.4
$2.67 €2.38
42.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.03
$3.16 €2.82
-59.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.67
$2.24 €2.00
-65.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.3
$4.55 €4.06
-30.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.5
$5.09 €4.54
-3.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Zurrieq
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.35
$1.39 €1.24
1.44%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.54
$1.32 €1.18
68.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.56
$4.35 €3.88
-67.36%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.27
$4.23 €3.77
-40.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$136
$8.25 €7.36
-12.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$144
$10.57 €9.43
-27.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$238
$18.07 €16.12
-29.77%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.2
$4.07 €3.63
-31.70%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.64
$2.82 €2.51
-51.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.80
$3.51 €3.13
-27.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.78
$3.32 €2.96
-36.14%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.32
$2.23 €1.99
-13.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.34
$1.90 €1.70
-0.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.49
$2.33 €2.08
-50.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.09
$1.34 €1.20
-11.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.5
$6.91 €6.17
-37.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$186
$8.25 €7.36
20.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.67
$1.63 €1.45
-3.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.1
$2.43 €2.17
9.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Zurrieq
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.37
$2.28 €2.04
-75.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$499
$30.37 €27.10
-12.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.1
$5.69 €5.08
-12.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.4
$2.29 €2.04
45.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$100
$27.14 €24.21
-80.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.06
$1.53 €1.37
-5.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$387.3K
$37.1K €33.1K
-44.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$439.7K
$38.8K €34.6K
-39.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Zurrieq
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,589
$104 €92.6
-18.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$439
$25.00 €22.31
-6.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$537
$42.71 €38.11
-32.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Zurrieq
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,069
$69.2 €61.7
-17.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$542
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.3
$9.92 €8.85
-48.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Zurrieq
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,871
$370 €330
-44.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.6K
$10.9K €9,744
-64.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Zurrieq
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$812
$85.9 €76.7
-49.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$777
$39.75 €35.47
4.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,390
$99.2 €88.5
-25.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,672
$79.7 €71.1
11.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Zurrieq
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
$1,138 €1,016
-13.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,136
$849 €757
-55.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.0K
$1,870 €1,669
-8.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.1K
$1,515 €1,352
-29.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.9K
$4,476 €3,993
-11.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.4K
$3,022 €2,696
103.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Zurrieq
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
$2,701 €2,410
-72.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
2.9
294.83%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Zurrieq: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Zurrieq
$849 123% $468
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Zurrieq
$327 28.2% $72
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Zurrieq
$280 38.5% $78
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Zurrieq
$172 25.4% $35
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Zurrieq
$137 22.7% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Zurrieq
$89 32.2% $22
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Zurrieq
$57 12.2% $6.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,138 in Zurrieq. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Zurrieq are about 3.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $85 in Zurrieq. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $327 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇲🇹 Zurrieq
🕒 Local time
23:22 11:22 PM
05:22 5:22 AM
6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
11,823
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18.74 MXN (100 MXN = 5.34 USD). 1 EUR = 21 MXN (100 MXN = 4.76 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Zurrieq 9,660 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Zurrieq

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 Zurrieq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Zurrieq?
Yes – Zurrieq is pricier by about 59%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,864 in Zurrieq. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $1,138 in Zurrieq.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Zurrieq?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,910 in Zurrieq. That makes Playa del Carmen about 37% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 12% 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 Zurrieq?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Zurrieq at $1,910. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zurrieq it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Zurrieq 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 the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zurrieq 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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