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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $761 per month in Zacapoaxtla vs $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,208 per month in Zacapoaxtla vs $2,177 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,656 per month in Zacapoaxtla vs $3,095 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zacapoaxtla is about 40% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zacapoaxtla and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zacapoaxtla 43% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 MX$77.2

$11.95 MX$208

-62.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.54 MX$376

$41.94 MX$731

-48.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.23 MX$91.2

$10.42 MX$182

-49.81%

Cappuccino

$2.55 MX$44.46

$3.51 MX$61.3

-27.35%

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

$0.94 MX$16.44

$1.52 MX$26.44

-38.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.75

$0.91 MX$15.88

18.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 MX$22.21

$3.04 MX$53.0

-58.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 MX$34.97

$4.37 MX$76.2

-54.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$1.42 MX$24.78

-8.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 MX$24.36

$1.83 MX$31.93

-23.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 MX$25.02

$1.63 MX$28.51

-12.27%

Eggs

$2.31 MX$40.30

$2.54 MX$44.29

-9.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.24 MX$56.5

$8.57 MX$149

-62.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 MX$81.4

$8.49 MX$148

-44.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 MX$79.8

$10.80 MX$188

-57.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 MX$21.74

$2.75 MX$48.04

-54.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$1.44 MX$25.05

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.57 MX$9.88

$1.89 MX$32.90

-69.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 MX$17.58

$2.17 MX$37.84

-53.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 MX$15.01

$1.78 MX$31.03

-51.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 MX$18.18

$2.22 MX$38.79

-53.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 MX$19.46

$1.07 MX$18.64

4.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 MX$16.26

$1.08 MX$18.83

-13.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MX$72.7

$4.15 MX$72.3

0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 MX$243

$10.45 MX$182

33.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.60

$1.74 MX$30.40

-35.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 MX$28.08

$2.58 MX$45.01

-37.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MX$12.09

$0.51 MX$8.95

35.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.82 MX$729

$25.94 MX$452

61.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 MX$23.75

$3.21 MX$56.0

-57.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.88

$2.50 MX$43.64

-88.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 MX$92.5

$3.19 MX$55.6

66.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MX$23.26

$1.26 MX$21.91

5.56%

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

$13.4K MX$233.2K

$29.7K MX$517.7K

-54.95%

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

$23.7K MX$413.8K

$23.7K MX$413.0K

0.20%

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

$40.06 MX$699

$82.0 MX$1,430

-51.16%

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

$26.21 MX$457

$22.73 MX$396

15.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.92 MX$522

$29.42 MX$513

1.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.38 MX$617

$52.2 MX$910

-32.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.69 MX$274

$18.45 MX$322

-14.96%

Cinema Ticket

$2.58 MX$45.01

$4.93 MX$86.0

-47.67%

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

$208 MX$3,626

$202 MX$3,519

3.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,605 MX$62.9K

$5,217 MX$91.0K

-30.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.22 MX$318

$35.93 MX$627

-49.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.13 MX$421

$40.33 MX$703

-40.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.99 MX$750

$79.9 MX$1,393

-46.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.86 MX$608

$89.3 MX$1,557

-60.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 MX$8,608

$948 MX$16.5K

-47.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 MX$4,401

$465 MX$8,114

-45.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 MX$17.5K

$1,630 MX$28.4K

-38.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 MX$10.2K

$1,193 MX$20.8K

-50.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,865 MX$32.5K

$3,933 MX$68.6K

-52.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,298 MX$22.6K

$6,428 MX$112.1K

-79.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 MX$10.9K

$658 MX$11.5K

-4.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

11.42

-0.70%

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

Last update for Zacapoaxtla: July 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $494 in Zacapoaxtla versus $948 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 5% 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 $22.00 in Zacapoaxtla versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $166 vs $252 – making Zacapoaxtla 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 65%, 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 $1,141 per month in Zacapoaxtla and $1,888 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 Zacapoaxtla, 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 $761 in Zacapoaxtla and $1,259 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 61% less in Zacapoaxtla. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zacapoaxtla, where all-in costs run around $761, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. In Zacapoaxtla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zacapoaxtla – 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 Zacapoaxtla. 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.