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

🙂 Solo nomad: Zanzibar is 59% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 64.1% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Zanzibar is 42.2% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 67.9% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zanzibar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.75 TZS 12.2K
$11.99 MX$227
-60.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.88 TZS 56K
$42.47 MX$803
-48.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.82 TZS 14.9K
$10.47 MX$198
-44.41%
Cappuccino
$2.16 TZS 5,531
$3.6 MX$68.2
-40.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 TZS 1,510
$1.44 MX$27.16
-59.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 TZS 784
$0.89 MX$16.79
-65.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.91 TZS 4,876
$3.09 MX$58.5
-38.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 TZS 6,976
$4.58 MX$86.6
-40.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zanzibar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.71 TZS 4,371
$1.38 MX$26.04
23.91%
White Bread (500g)
$0.72 TZS 1,840
$1.85 MX$34.9
-61.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.8 TZS 2,044
$1.57 MX$29.68
-49.04%
Eggs
$3 TZS 7,673
$2.55 MX$48.3
17.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$8.61 MX$163
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.27 TZS 5,804
$8.54 MX$161
-73.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.66 TZS 11.9K
$10.98 MX$208
-57.56%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 TZS 7,303
$2.72 MX$51.4
4.78%
Banana (1kg)
$1.19 TZS 3,042
$1.51 MX$28.57
-21.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.74 TZS 1,906
$1.88 MX$35.63
-60.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.56 TZS 1,438
$2.19 MX$41.42
-74.43%
Potato (1kg)
$0.95 TZS 2,436
$1.87 MX$35.3
-49.20%
Onion (1kg)
$1.57 TZS 4,008
$2.19 MX$41.37
-28.31%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.76 TZS 1,934
$1.07 MX$20.23
-28.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.47 TZS 1,197
$1.09 MX$20.64
-56.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.1 TZS 5,365
$3.96 MX$74.9
-46.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.23 TZS 26.2K
$8.86 MX$167
15.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 TZS 4,567
$1.72 MX$32.53
3.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 TZS 3,502
$2.61 MX$49.37
-47.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Zanzibar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.6 TZS 1,537
$0.52 MX$9.74
15.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.59 MX$503
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.24 MX$61.2
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$2.38 MX$44.94
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.63 TZS 6,730
$3.11 MX$58.7
-15.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.21 TZS 3,088
$1.31 MX$24.85
-7.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$30.3K MX$573K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$24K MX$453.6K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zanzibar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$84.2 MX$1,592
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.57 TZS 27.1K
$22.14 MX$419
-52.26%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.08 TZS 59.1K
$30.14 MX$570
-23.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zanzibar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$20.88 TZS 53.4K
$52 MX$983
-59.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.72 MX$354
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.62 TZS 24.6K
$5.07 MX$95.9
89.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zanzibar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$200 MX$3,787
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$5,333 MX$100.8K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zanzibar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$13.24 TZS 33.9K
$35.74 MX$676
-62.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.5 TZS 44.8K
$39.8 MX$753
-56.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$15.53 TZS 39.7K
$79 MX$1,493
-80.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$13.33 TZS 34.1K
$88.4 MX$1,671
-84.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zanzibar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$147 TZS 376.3K
$965 MX$18.3K
-84.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$99.8 TZS 255.4K
$474 MX$8,968
-78.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$198 TZS 506.7K
$1,653 MX$31.2K
-88.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$148 TZS 379.7K
$1,202 MX$22.7K
-87.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$41.1K TZS 105.1M
$3,081 MX$58.3K
1233.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$12.1K TZS 31M
$7,529 MX$142.3K
60.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zanzibar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$340 TZS 869K
$792 MX$15K
-57.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10
11.42
-12.43%

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

Last update for Zanzibar: October 29, 2025

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 28, 2025

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