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

🙂 Solo nomad: Zanzibar is 57.4% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 64.4% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Zanzibar is 41.2% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 68.8% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zanzibar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.80 TZS 12.5K
$11.61 MX$200
-58.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.36 TZS 58.3K
$42.75 MX$738
-47.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.67 TZS 14.8K
$10.60 MX$183
-46.51%
Cappuccino
$2.25 TZS 5,859
$3.59 MX$62.0
-37.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.60 TZS 1,566
$1.45 MX$25.08
-58.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 TZS 862
$0.90 MX$15.50
-63.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.96 TZS 5,096
$3.03 MX$52.4
-35.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 TZS 6,874
$4.56 MX$78.8
-42.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zanzibar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.79 TZS 4,668
$1.45 MX$25.07
23.45%
White Bread (500g)
$0.73 TZS 1,894
$1.83 MX$31.55
-60.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.88 TZS 2,287
$1.61 MX$27.77
-45.34%
Eggs
$2.88 TZS 7,514
$2.54 MX$43.82
13.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$8.54 MX$148
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.28 TZS 5,947
$8.47 MX$146
-73.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.67 TZS 12.2K
$10.86 MX$188
-57.00%
Apples (1kg)
$2.83 TZS 7,375
$2.73 MX$47.13
3.66%
Banana (1kg)
$1.19 TZS 3,110
$1.49 MX$25.77
-20.13%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.79 TZS 2,053
$1.94 MX$33.55
-59.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.61 TZS 1,584
$2.16 MX$37.38
-71.76%
Potato (1kg)
$1.02 TZS 2,646
$1.85 MX$31.88
-44.86%
Onion (1kg)
$1.56 TZS 4,078
$2.19 MX$37.80
-28.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.74 TZS 1,921
$1.07 MX$18.52
-30.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 TZS 1,287
$1.08 MX$18.71
-54.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.02 TZS 5,263
$4.06 MX$70.1
-50.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.48 TZS 24.7K
$10.46 MX$181
-9.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.75 TZS 4,563
$1.65 MX$28.56
6.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 TZS 3,465
$2.55 MX$44.01
-47.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Zanzibar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.61 TZS 1,589
$0.56 MX$9.60
8.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.20 MX$453
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.14 MX$54.2
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$2.37 MX$40.96
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.79 TZS 7,263
$3.24 MX$56.0
-13.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 TZS 3,017
$1.31 MX$22.70
-11.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$30.5K MX$527.4K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$23.8K MX$411.4K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zanzibar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$83.1 MX$1,436
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.46 TZS 27.3K
$22.15 MX$383
-52.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.01 TZS 60.0K
$29.37 MX$507
-21.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zanzibar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$21.50 TZS 56.0K
$51.2 MX$884
-58.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.69 MX$323
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.58 TZS 25.0K
$4.89 MX$84.4
95.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zanzibar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$199 MX$3,431
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$5,207 MX$89.9K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zanzibar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$13.56 TZS 35.3K
$35.93 MX$621
-62.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.17 TZS 44.7K
$39.39 MX$680
-56.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$15.27 TZS 39.8K
$80.3 MX$1,387
-80.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$13.50 TZS 35.2K
$87.6 MX$1,512
-84.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zanzibar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$149 TZS 389.0K
$963 MX$16.6K
-84.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$99.8 TZS 260.1K
$482 MX$8,326
-79.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$200 TZS 521.7K
$1,645 MX$28.4K
-87.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$147 TZS 383.2K
$1,192 MX$20.6K
-87.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$37.8K TZS 98.4M
$3,957 MX$68.3K
854.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$11.5K TZS 30.1M
$6,513 MX$112.5K
77.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zanzibar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$321 TZS 836.7K
$726 MX$12.5K
-55.80%
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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

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

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