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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,069 per month in Zahlah vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,668 per month in Zahlah vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,266 per month in Zahlah vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zahlah is about 17% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Zahlah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zahlah 20% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.84 LBP 969.9K

$11.94 MX$209

-9.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.4 LBP 5.4M

$42.75 MX$748

41.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 LBP 712.0K

$10.59 MX$185

-24.93%

Cappuccino

$3.26 LBP 292.1K

$3.62 MX$63.4

-9.94%

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

$1.59 LBP 142.1K

$1.47 MX$25.69

8.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 LBP 77.2K

$0.94 MX$16.51

-8.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 LBP 317.6K

$3.09 MX$54.1

14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 LBP 182.1K

$4.46 MX$78.0

-54.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 LBP 90.5K

$1.43 MX$24.94

-29.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 LBP 75.4K

$1.88 MX$32.97

-55.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 LBP 159.3K

$1.63 MX$28.50

9.20%

Eggs

$3.22 LBP 288.3K

$2.64 MX$46.26

21.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

$8.21 MX$144

40.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 LBP 870.6K

$8.29 MX$145

17.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.35 LBP 1.0M

$11.10 MX$194

2.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 LBP 162.1K

$2.65 MX$46.40

-31.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 LBP 135.6K

$1.50 MX$26.26

0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 LBP 98.0K

$1.99 MX$34.79

-45.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 93.4K

$2.08 MX$36.33

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 LBP 85.5K

$1.79 MX$31.29

-46.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 LBP 90.1K

$2.18 MX$38.09

-53.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 LBP 72.7K

$1.08 MX$18.84

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LBP 46.4K

$1.04 MX$18.15

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 LBP 230.2K

$3.97 MX$69.5

-35.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.20 LBP 1.0M

$10.20 MX$179

9.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 LBP 110.9K

$1.73 MX$30.22

-28.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 LBP 189.7K

$2.50 MX$43.71

-15.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 LBP 450.1K

$3.14 MX$55.0

60.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 LBP 108.9K

$2.40 MX$42.04

-49.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.02 LBP 1.8M

$3.09 MX$54.0

547.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 LBP 83.7K

$1.27 MX$22.28

-25.98%

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

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

$30.9K MX$540.4K

12.62%

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

$27.5K LBP 2.5B

$23.3K MX$408.0K

17.85%

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

$217 LBP 19.4M

$82.0 MX$1,435

164.26%

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

$37.65 LBP 3.4M

$22.45 MX$393

67.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.82 LBP 3.4M

$29.66 MX$519

27.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$8.08 LBP 723.4K

$4.97 MX$87.0

62.58%

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

$296 LBP 26.5M

$198 MX$3,462

49.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,467 LBP 399.8M

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-15.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 LBP 6.3M

$36.34 MX$636

94.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 LBP 4.0M

$40.05 MX$701

11.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 LBP 11.2M

$79.9 MX$1,398

56.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.8 LBP 8.3M

$88.9 MX$1,555

4.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 LBP 17.8M

$465 MX$8,133

-57.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 LBP 35.9M

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-66.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

11.42

-2.28%

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

Last update for Zahlah: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Zahlah versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $231 in Zahlah vs $251 in Playa del Carmen – so Zahlah 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,604 per month in Zahlah and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,069 in Zahlah and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $296 per month in Zahlah and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zahlah, where all-in costs run around $1,069, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Zahlah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Zahlah. 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.