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 $1,048 per month in Zacapoaxtla vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,718 per month in Zacapoaxtla vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,387 per month in Zacapoaxtla vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zacapoaxtla is about 20% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zacapoaxtla and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zacapoaxtla 24% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.14 MX$86.8

$11.96 MX$202

-57.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.1 MX$879

$47.38 MX$800

9.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 MX$99.6

$11.75 MX$198

-49.79%

Cappuccino

$2.10 MX$35.44

$4.12 MX$69.6

-49.03%

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

$1.02 MX$17.21

$1.40 MX$23.63

-27.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.23

$0.91 MX$15.40

51.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 MX$21.96

$3.21 MX$54.1

-59.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 MX$40.00

$7.07 MX$119

-66.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.31

$1.68 MX$28.31

-17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 MX$21.61

$2.15 MX$36.31

-40.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 MX$20.45

$1.77 MX$29.96

-31.64%

Eggs

$1.83 MX$30.87

$2.82 MX$47.54

-35.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.85 MX$217

$9.20 MX$155

39.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.02 MX$84.8

$9.23 MX$156

-45.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.33 MX$90.0

$12.64 MX$213

-57.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 MX$28.86

$2.95 MX$49.83

-42.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MX$23.53

$1.58 MX$26.66

-12.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 MX$10.16

$2.22 MX$37.53

-72.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 MX$13.19

$2.36 MX$39.90

-66.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 MX$14.34

$1.99 MX$33.65

-57.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MX$19.60

$1.98 MX$33.42

-41.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.32

$1.24 MX$20.94

-12.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$17.63

$1.21 MX$20.46

-14.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.72 MX$79.7

$4.60 MX$77.7

2.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.36 MX$242

$10.52 MX$178

36.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.28

$1.69 MX$28.56

-28.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.80 MX$81.1

$2.77 MX$46.84

73.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MX$11.71

$0.60 MX$10.17

15.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$502

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MX$20.50

$5.24 MX$88.4

-76.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$3.65 MX$61.6

-84.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$5.78 MX$97.7

3.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$1.54 MX$25.97

5.19%

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

$15.1K MX$255.4K

$22.8K MX$385.0K

-33.67%

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

$27.3K MX$460.1K

$25.8K MX$435.8K

5.58%

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

$46.91 MX$792

$90.7 MX$1,531

-48.26%

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

$29.57 MX$499

$25.19 MX$425

17.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.85 MX$588

$31.75 MX$536

9.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.66 MX$619

$68.8 MX$1,162

-46.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.59 MX$365

$29.37 MX$496

-26.49%

Cinema Ticket

$7.01 MX$118

$4.86 MX$82.1

44.24%

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

$469 MX$7,914

$226 MX$3,811

107.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,001 MX$84.4K

$4,194 MX$70.8K

19.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.5 MX$1,258

$47.38 MX$800

57.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.2 MX$949

$43.45 MX$734

29.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,944

$80.2 MX$1,355

43.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 MX$2,110

$91.4 MX$1,543

36.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$658 MX$11.1K

$1,086 MX$18.3K

-39.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$422 MX$7,125

$409 MX$6,900

3.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,104 MX$18.6K

$1,972 MX$33.3K

-44.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$815 MX$13.8K

$1,281 MX$21.6K

-36.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,942 MX$32.8K

$4,046 MX$68.3K

-52.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,249 MX$21.1K

$6,704 MX$113.2K

-81.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$636 MX$10.7K

$773 MX$13.1K

-17.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

11.45

-1.31%

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

Last update for Zacapoaxtla: September 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $658 in Zacapoaxtla versus $1,086 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 22% 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 $52.0 in Zacapoaxtla versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $208 in Zacapoaxtla vs $278 in Playa del Carmen – so Zacapoaxtla wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 25%, 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 $1,572 per month in Zacapoaxtla and $1,958 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 $1,048 in Zacapoaxtla and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $469 per month in Zacapoaxtla and $226 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zacapoaxtla, where all-in costs run around $1,048, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.