Cost of Living Comparison Between Zamora de Hidalgo and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Zamora de Hidalgo and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,151 per month in Zamora de Hidalgo vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,775 per month in Zamora de Hidalgo vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,399 per month in Zamora de Hidalgo vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zamora de Hidalgo is about 11% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zamora de Hidalgo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zamora de Hidalgo 14% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 MX$139

$11.94 MX$208

-32.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.25 MX$318

$42.75 MX$744

-57.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 MX$140

$10.59 MX$184

-23.98%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.2

$3.62 MX$63.0

-2.76%

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

$1.26 MX$21.95

$1.47 MX$25.54

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 MX$17.42

$0.94 MX$16.41

6.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 MX$26.94

$3.09 MX$53.8

-49.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 MX$46.87

$4.46 MX$77.6

-39.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 MX$27.14

$1.43 MX$24.80

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 MX$46.19

$1.88 MX$32.79

40.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.10

$1.63 MX$28.34

20.25%

Eggs

$2.31 MX$40.19

$2.64 MX$45.99

-12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.04 MX$140

$8.21 MX$143

-2.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.77 MX$170

$8.29 MX$144

17.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.19 MX$230

$11.10 MX$193

18.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 MX$64.5

$2.65 MX$46.14

39.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MX$25.21

$1.50 MX$26.11

-3.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.27

$1.99 MX$34.59

-4.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.82

$2.08 MX$36.13

-17.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.69

$1.79 MX$31.11

-4.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.78

$2.18 MX$37.87

-13.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 MX$22.45

$1.08 MX$18.73

19.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$1.04 MX$18.04

11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 MX$76.5

$3.97 MX$69.1

10.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$306

$10.20 MX$178

72.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 MX$34.66

$1.73 MX$30.04

15.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 MX$55.9

$2.50 MX$43.46

28.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.62

$0.52 MX$9.02

17.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 MX$55.0

$3.14 MX$54.7

0.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 MX$20.78

$2.40 MX$41.80

-50.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.44 MX$164

$3.09 MX$53.7

205.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.94

$1.27 MX$22.16

3.94%

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

$20.1K MX$350.5K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-34.77%

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

$20.2K MX$351.6K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

-13.32%

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

$62.7 MX$1,091

$82.0 MX$1,427

-23.51%

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

$23.92 MX$416

$22.45 MX$391

6.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.89 MX$485

$29.66 MX$516

-5.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.57 MX$636

$51.9 MX$903

-29.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.59 MX$271

$18.67 MX$325

-16.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.88 MX$102

$4.97 MX$86.5

18.31%

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

$317 MX$5,523

$198 MX$3,442

60.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,784 MX$83.2K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-9.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 MX$893

$36.34 MX$632

41.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.24 MX$752

$40.05 MX$697

7.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 MX$1,735

$79.9 MX$1,390

24.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 MX$1,712

$88.9 MX$1,547

10.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 MX$8,754

$963 MX$16.8K

-47.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 MX$6,776

$465 MX$8,086

-16.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$925 MX$16.1K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-42.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$755 MX$13.1K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-37.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,018 MX$35.1K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-48.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,258 MX$21.9K

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-80.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

11.42

1.14%

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

Last update for Zamora de Hidalgo: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $503 in Zamora de Hidalgo versus $963 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Zamora de Hidalgo versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $295 in Zamora de Hidalgo vs $251 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen 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

Zamora de Hidalgo vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 12%, 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 $1,726 per month in Zamora de Hidalgo and $1,930 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 Zamora de Hidalgo, 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 $1,151 in Zamora de Hidalgo 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 $317 per month in Zamora de Hidalgo 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zamora de Hidalgo, where all-in costs run around $1,151, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Zamora de Hidalgo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zamora de Hidalgo – 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 Zamora de Hidalgo. 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.