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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $319 per month in Zaltan vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $542 per month in Zaltan vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $764 per month in Zaltan vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zaltan is about 75% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zaltan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zaltan 76% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.50 LYD 28.68

$11.99 MX$209

-62.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.16 LYD 116

$41.78 MX$728

-56.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.59 LYD 22.90

$10.75 MX$187

-66.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.58 LYD 3.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 LYD 4.60

Cappuccino

$0.52 LYD 3.29

$3.50 MX$60.9

-85.14%

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

$0.49 LYD 3.14

$1.45 MX$25.22

-66.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.11 LYD 0.68

$0.88 MX$15.41

-87.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 LYD 6.53

$1.43 MX$24.94

-28.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 LYD 1.47

$1.84 MX$31.99

-87.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 LYD 7.54

$1.57 MX$27.31

-24.84%

Eggs

$1.49 LYD 9.50

$2.51 MX$43.74

-40.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.96 LYD 31.62

$8.28 MX$144

-40.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 LYD 21.60

$8.43 MX$147

-59.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.42 LYD 66.4

$10.68 MX$186

-2.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 LYD 13.90

$2.61 MX$45.43

-16.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 LYD 8.55

$1.44 MX$25.04

-6.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 LYD 5.28

$1.96 MX$34.16

-57.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 LYD 3.37

$2.09 MX$36.47

-74.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 LYD 4.41

$1.85 MX$32.24

-62.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 LYD 3.34

$2.17 MX$37.74

-76.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 LYD 2.47

$1.03 MX$17.96

-62.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.20 LYD 1.27

$1.07 MX$18.70

-81.31%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.29 LYD 8.19

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.23

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 LYD 4.33

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.80 LYD 11.48

$4.10 MX$71.4

-56.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 LYD 5.79

$3.23 MX$56.3

-71.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 LYD 5.35

$2.41 MX$41.88

-65.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 LYD 28.79

$3.23 MX$56.2

39.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 LYD 0.20

$1.32 MX$23.00

-97.73%

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

$13.5K LYD 86.3K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-54.40%

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

$16.3K LYD 103.9K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-31.06%

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

$31.89 LYD 203

$82.0 MX$1,428

-61.11%

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

$8.35 LYD 53.2

$22.95 MX$400

-63.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.22 LYD 148

$30.11 MX$524

-22.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.68 LYD 29.79

$4.98 MX$86.6

-6.02%

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

$53.2 LYD 339

$197 MX$3,438

-73.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$918 LYD 5,845

$5,336 MX$92.9K

-82.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.48 LYD 137

$35.60 MX$620

-39.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.69 LYD 227

$40.33 MX$702

-11.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.0 LYD 325

$78.8 MX$1,371

-35.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 LYD 354

$88.9 MX$1,549

-37.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.5

11.42

53.24%

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

Last update for Zaltan: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Zaltan versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $118 vs $249 – making Zaltan 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 293%, 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 $479 per month in Zaltan and $1,884 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 $319 in Zaltan and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $53.2 per month in Zaltan 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 Zaltan, where all-in costs run around $319, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Zaltan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zaltan – 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 Zaltan. 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.