Cost of Living Comparison Between Zabol and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Zabol and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $505 per month in Zabol vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $786 per month in Zabol vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,068 per month in Zabol vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zabol is about 61% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zabol and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zabol 62% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.05 $2.05

$11.94 MX$209

-82.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.72 $16.72

$42.75 MX$748

-60.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 $4.63

$10.59 MX$185

-56.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.48 $0.48

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

Cappuccino

$0.48 $0.48

$3.62 MX$63.4

-86.74%

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

$0.43 $0.43

$1.47 MX$25.69

-70.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.94 MX$16.51

-1.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

Milk (1 liter)

$0.58 $0.58

$1.43 MX$24.94

-59.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 $0.56

$1.88 MX$32.97

-70.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.63 MX$28.50

14.72%

Eggs

$1.17 $1.17

$2.64 MX$46.26

-55.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.56 $3.56

$8.21 MX$144

-56.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$8.29 MX$145

-61.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 $9.70

$11.10 MX$194

-12.61%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 $0.92

$2.65 MX$46.40

-65.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.50 MX$26.26

-6.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.99 MX$34.79

-58.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 $0.54

$2.08 MX$36.33

-74.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 $0.51

$1.79 MX$31.29

-71.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 $0.45

$2.18 MX$38.09

-79.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 $0.59

$1.08 MX$18.84

-45.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 $0.25

$1.04 MX$18.15

-75.96%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.03 $1.03

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 $0.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 $2.16

$3.97 MX$69.5

-45.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 $0.20

$0.52 MX$9.07

-61.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.96 $9.96

$26.97 MX$472

-63.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 $0.34

$3.14 MX$55.0

-89.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 $0.27

$2.40 MX$42.04

-88.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 $1.99

$3.09 MX$54.0

-35.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$1.27 MX$22.28

-43.31%

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

$71.3K $71.3K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

130.81%

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

$54.0K $54.0K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

131.65%

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

$16.06 $16.06

$82.0 MX$1,435

-80.42%

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

$2.13 $2.13

$22.45 MX$393

-90.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.85 $5.85

$29.66 MX$519

-80.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.07 $16.07

$51.9 MX$908

-69.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.69 $12.69

$18.67 MX$327

-32.03%

Cinema Ticket

$1.52 $1.52

$4.97 MX$87.0

-69.42%

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

$116 $116

$198 MX$3,462

-41.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,956 $1,956

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-62.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.29 $22.29

$36.34 MX$636

-38.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.37 $25.37

$40.05 MX$701

-36.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$79.9 MX$1,398

37.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.9 $70.9

$88.9 MX$1,555

-20.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 $285

$963 MX$16.9K

-70.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 $198

$465 MX$8,133

-57.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 $639

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-59.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 $320

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-73.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,085 $1,085

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-72.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$627 $627

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-90.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$147 $147

$720 MX$12.6K

-79.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.24

11.42

94.75%

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

Last update for Zabol: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $285 in Zabol versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. 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 390% 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 $17.00 in Zabol versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $106 vs $251 – making Zabol the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Zabol vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 155%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $757 per month in Zabol and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zabol, 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 $505 in Zabol and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 171% less in Zabol. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zabol, where all-in costs run around $505, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Zabol it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zabol – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Zabol. 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.