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 $1,085 per month in Zahlah vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,703 per month in Zahlah vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,320 per month in Zahlah vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zahlah is about 15% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Zahlah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zahlah 19% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.89 LBP 974.2K

$11.87 MX$204

-8.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 LBP 5.4M

$42.90 MX$736

40.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 LBP 723.4K

$10.65 MX$183

-24.13%

Cappuccino

$3.38 LBP 302.6K

$3.45 MX$59.2

-2.03%

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

$1.60 LBP 143.2K

$1.50 MX$25.81

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 LBP 82.0K

$0.95 MX$16.28

-3.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 LBP 304.6K

$3.03 MX$51.9

12.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 LBP 181.6K

$4.61 MX$79.1

-55.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 LBP 88.3K

$1.38 MX$23.61

-28.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 LBP 76.6K

$1.85 MX$31.70

-53.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 LBP 163.4K

$1.61 MX$27.65

13.66%

Eggs

$3.10 LBP 277.1K

$2.59 MX$44.51

19.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.17 LBP 1.0M

$8.26 MX$142

35.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.69 LBP 867.0K

$8.37 MX$144

15.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.29 LBP 1.0M

$10.66 MX$183

5.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 LBP 156.6K

$2.63 MX$45.12

-33.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 LBP 131.1K

$1.49 MX$25.53

-2.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 LBP 98.7K

$1.92 MX$32.94

-42.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 93.5K

$2.09 MX$35.81

-50.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 LBP 83.4K

$1.86 MX$31.88

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 89.0K

$2.26 MX$38.81

-56.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 LBP 74.0K

$1.06 MX$18.23

-21.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 LBP 49.6K

$1.09 MX$18.67

-49.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 LBP 227.0K

$4.15 MX$71.2

-38.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 LBP 881.5K

$10.39 MX$178

-5.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 LBP 110.6K

$1.72 MX$29.59

-27.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 LBP 200.0K

$2.61 MX$44.85

-14.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 LBP 446.5K

$3.13 MX$53.7

59.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 LBP 110.8K

$2.51 MX$43.09

-50.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.16 LBP 1.8M

$3.15 MX$54.1

540.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 LBP 79.1K

$1.27 MX$21.88

-30.71%

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

$35.1K LBP 3.1B

$30.4K MX$521.3K

15.47%

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

$27.5K LBP 2.5B

$23.6K MX$404.5K

16.75%

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

$213 LBP 19.0M

$83.0 MX$1,425

156.33%

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

$38.04 LBP 3.4M

$22.71 MX$390

67.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.87 LBP 3.4M

$29.46 MX$506

28.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$7.97 LBP 713.0K

$4.93 MX$84.5

61.66%

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

$302 LBP 27.0M

$197 MX$3,386

52.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,371 LBP 391.2M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-17.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 LBP 6.3M

$36.90 MX$633

92.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.76 LBP 4.0M

$39.89 MX$685

12.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 LBP 11.1M

$80.0 MX$1,373

55.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.3 LBP 8.5M

$89.5 MX$1,536

6.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 LBP 17.6M

$477 MX$8,189

-58.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 LBP 36.1M

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-67.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 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 – $226 in Zahlah vs $250 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 17%, 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 $1,628 per month in Zahlah and $1,906 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 $1,085 in Zahlah and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $302 per month in Zahlah and $197 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 $1,085, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.