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 $1,095 per month in Zahlah vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,704 per month in Zahlah vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,313 per month in Zahlah vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zahlah is about 13% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Zahlah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zahlah 18% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 LBP 986.1K

$11.72 MX$203

-5.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 LBP 5.3M

$41.89 MX$725

40.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 LBP 700.0K

$10.51 MX$182

-25.59%

Cappuccino

$3.29 LBP 294.3K

$3.59 MX$62.0

-8.36%

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

$1.63 LBP 145.8K

$1.51 MX$26.10

7.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 LBP 78.0K

$0.92 MX$15.83

-5.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 LBP 319.3K

$2.96 MX$51.2

20.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 LBP 181.0K

$4.41 MX$76.3

-54.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 LBP 90.5K

$1.40 MX$24.16

-27.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 LBP 75.3K

$1.88 MX$32.60

-55.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 162.9K

$1.56 MX$26.97

16.67%

Eggs

$3.06 LBP 274.1K

$2.61 MX$45.14

17.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 LBP 1.0M

$8.32 MX$144

35.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.51 LBP 851.2K

$8.35 MX$145

13.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.55 LBP 1.0M

$10.86 MX$188

6.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 LBP 154.1K

$2.71 MX$46.93

-36.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 LBP 131.2K

$1.51 MX$26.04

-2.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 LBP 101.2K

$1.87 MX$32.41

-39.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 92.9K

$2.19 MX$37.89

-52.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.9K

$1.86 MX$32.14

-46.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 LBP 90.0K

$2.23 MX$38.59

-54.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 LBP 72.3K

$1.07 MX$18.48

-24.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LBP 49.9K

$1.09 MX$18.79

-48.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 LBP 229.9K

$4.19 MX$72.4

-38.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.91 LBP 887.3K

$10.43 MX$180

-4.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 LBP 113.9K

$1.66 MX$28.68

-23.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 LBP 198.9K

$2.61 MX$45.19

-14.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 LBP 455.2K

$3.08 MX$53.3

65.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 LBP 109.6K

$2.40 MX$41.61

-49.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.97 LBP 1.8M

$3.13 MX$54.1

538.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 LBP 79.2K

$1.31 MX$22.69

-32.82%

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

$34.7K LBP 3.1B

$29.8K MX$515.7K

16.39%

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

$27.9K LBP 2.5B

$23.3K MX$403.5K

19.67%

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

$217 LBP 19.4M

$81.3 MX$1,406

166.36%

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

$36.97 LBP 3.3M

$22.56 MX$390

63.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 LBP 3.3M

$30.05 MX$520

22.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 LBP 731.0K

$4.92 MX$85.1

66.06%

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

$300 LBP 26.9M

$201 MX$3,474

49.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,530 LBP 405.4M

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-12.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.9 LBP 6.3M

$35.92 MX$622

94.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.20 LBP 4.0M

$40.13 MX$694

12.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 LBP 10.8M

$79.7 MX$1,379

51.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 LBP 8.5M

$86.5 MX$1,496

9.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 LBP 17.9M

$470 MX$8,140

-57.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 LBP 35.2M

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-67.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Zahlah versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $227 in Zahlah vs $252 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 15%, 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 $1,642 per month in Zahlah and $1,890 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 $1,095 in Zahlah and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $300 per month in Zahlah and $201 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 $1,095, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.