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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $581 per month in Zanzibar vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $872 per month in Zanzibar vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,163 per month in Zanzibar vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zanzibar is about 55% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zanzibar and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zanzibar 58% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 TZS 12.4K

$11.71 MX$198

-59.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.77 TZS 57.2K

$46.59 MX$788

-53.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.50 TZS 14.5K

$11.65 MX$197

-52.79%

Cappuccino

$2.13 TZS 5,598

$4.09 MX$69.2

-47.92%

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

$0.63 TZS 1,649

$1.37 MX$23.23

-54.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 TZS 805

$0.83 MX$14.09

-62.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 TZS 5,067

$3.35 MX$56.7

-42.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 TZS 6,772

$6.91 MX$117

-62.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 TZS 5,438

$1.73 MX$29.20

19.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 TZS 1,978

$2.26 MX$38.21

-66.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 TZS 2,251

$1.77 MX$29.91

-51.41%

Eggs

$2.68 TZS 7,052

$2.73 MX$46.19

-1.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 TZS 20.1K

$9.18 MX$155

-16.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.26 TZS 5,939

$8.92 MX$151

-74.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.07 TZS 16.0K

$12.60 MX$213

-51.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 TZS 7,665

$3.02 MX$51.1

-3.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 TZS 2,919

$1.57 MX$26.55

-29.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 TZS 1,951

$2.13 MX$35.93

-65.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 TZS 1,528

$2.26 MX$38.28

-74.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 TZS 2,565

$2.00 MX$33.88

-51.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 TZS 4,079

$2.06 MX$34.90

-24.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 TZS 1,946

$1.18 MX$19.94

-37.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 TZS 1,269

$1.20 MX$20.35

-60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 TZS 5,697

$4.63 MX$78.4

-53.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.59 TZS 25.2K

$10.69 MX$181

-10.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 TZS 4,062

$1.62 MX$27.38

-4.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 TZS 3,567

$2.88 MX$48.70

-52.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 TZS 759

$0.57 MX$9.69

-49.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.81 TZS 10.0K

$5.45 MX$92.1

-30.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 TZS 1,951

$3.70 MX$62.6

-80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 TZS 6,884

$5.98 MX$101

-56.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 TZS 3,039

$1.55 MX$26.26

-25.16%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

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

$49.2K TZS 129.3M

$25.9K MX$438.7K

89.48%

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

$73.7 TZS 193.8K

$89.1 MX$1,507

-17.28%

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

$11.50 TZS 30.2K

$25.04 MX$423

-54.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.70 TZS 128.0K

$31.50 MX$532

54.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.70 TZS 78.1K

$67.8 MX$1,146

-56.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$9.66 TZS 25.4K

$5.05 MX$85.4

91.29%

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

$225 MX$3,803

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.13 TZS 34.5K

$47.44 MX$802

-72.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.74 TZS 44.0K

$44.98 MX$760

-62.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.38 TZS 40.4K

$82.0 MX$1,386

-81.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$12.98 TZS 34.1K

$92.1 MX$1,557

-85.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$150 TZS 393.4K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-86.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 TZS 264.6K

$405 MX$6,852

-75.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 TZS 534.6K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-89.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 TZS 392.4K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-88.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$37.5K TZS 98.6M

$3,995 MX$67.5K

839.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.6K TZS 30.4M

$6,626 MX$112.0K

74.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$312 TZS 820.9K

$749 MX$12.7K

-58.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-12.66%

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

Last update for Zanzibar: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $150 in Zanzibar versus $1,069 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.

Salaries run about 140% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Zanzibar versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $166 vs $277 – making Zanzibar 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 123%, 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 $871 per month in Zanzibar and $1,940 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 Zanzibar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 66% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Zanzibar and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zanzibar, where all-in costs run around $581, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Zanzibar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zanzibar – 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 Zanzibar. 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.