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 $495 per month in Zabol vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $794 per month in Zabol vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,093 per month in Zabol vs $2,990 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 63% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 $1.95

$11.72 MX$203

-83.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.24 $17.24

$41.89 MX$726

-58.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.37 $4.37

$10.51 MX$182

-58.42%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.51 $0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 $1.04

Cappuccino

$0.52 $0.52

$3.59 MX$62.1

-85.52%

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

$0.43 $0.43

$1.51 MX$26.13

-71.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 $1.00

$0.92 MX$15.86

8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.4

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 $0.59

$1.40 MX$24.19

-57.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 $0.53

$1.88 MX$32.65

-71.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.56 MX$27.01

17.95%

Eggs

$1.19 $1.19

$2.61 MX$45.20

-54.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$8.32 MX$144

-58.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$8.35 MX$145

-62.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.13 $10.13

$10.86 MX$188

-6.72%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 $0.84

$2.71 MX$47.00

-69.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.51 MX$26.08

-6.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.87 MX$32.46

-53.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 $0.57

$2.19 MX$37.94

-73.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 $0.51

$1.86 MX$32.18

-72.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 $0.46

$2.23 MX$38.64

-79.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 $0.55

$1.07 MX$18.51

-48.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.23 $0.23

$1.09 MX$18.82

-78.90%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.63 $0.63

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 $0.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 $1.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.24 $2.24

$4.19 MX$72.5

-46.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.72

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.26

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 $0.19

$0.54 MX$9.39

-64.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.11 $10.11

$26.16 MX$453

-61.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 $0.37

$3.08 MX$53.3

-87.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 $0.29

$2.40 MX$41.66

-87.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.13 MX$54.2

-35.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.31 MX$22.72

-41.98%

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

$72.6K $72.6K

$29.8K MX$516.4K

143.49%

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

$55.4K $55.4K

$23.3K MX$404.1K

137.55%

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

$15.98 $15.98

$81.3 MX$1,408

-80.34%

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

$2.05 $2.05

$22.56 MX$391

-90.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.91 $5.91

$30.05 MX$521

-80.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.77 $15.77

$52.9 MX$917

-70.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.71 $12.71

$18.39 MX$319

-30.89%

Cinema Ticket

$1.48 $1.48

$4.92 MX$85.2

-69.92%

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

$116 $116

$201 MX$3,479

-42.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,970 $1,970

$5,175 MX$89.7K

-61.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.49 $22.49

$35.92 MX$622

-37.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.65 $24.65

$40.13 MX$695

-38.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$79.7 MX$1,381

39.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.0 $69.0

$86.5 MX$1,498

-20.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 $280

$978 MX$16.9K

-71.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 $204

$470 MX$8,152

-56.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 $641

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-61.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 $319

$1,203 MX$20.9K

-73.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,137 $1,137

$3,953 MX$68.5K

-71.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$586 $586

$6,607 MX$114.5K

-91.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$149 $149

$677 MX$11.7K

-78.02%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $280 in Zabol versus $978 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 355% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $106 vs $252 – 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 154%, 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 $743 per month in Zabol and $1,890 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 $495 in Zabol and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 159% 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 $495, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.