Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zaporizhzhya and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Zaporizhzhya: $684 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Zaporizhzhya
🇺🇦 Ukraine
$684
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zaporizhzhya and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zaporizhzhya and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $684 per month in Zaporizhzhya vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Zaporizhzhya $684
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $1,065 per month in Zaporizhzhya vs $2,102 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Zaporizhzhya $1,065
  • Playa del Carmen $2,102

A family of three spends $1,446 per month in Zaporizhzhya vs $3,000 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Zaporizhzhya $1,446
  • Playa del Carmen $3,000

Zaporizhzhya is about 43% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Zaporizhzhya and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zaporizhzhya 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zaporizhzhya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.81 ₴306
$10.86 MX$201
-37.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.05 ₴990
$44.21 MX$817
-50.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.63 ₴208
$11.76 MX$217
-60.63%
Cappuccino
$1.11 ₴50.0
$3.68 MX$68.0
-69.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.58 ₴26.13
$1.34 MX$24.79
-56.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.38 ₴17.01
$0.82 MX$15.24
-53.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.92 ₴41.51
$3.06 MX$56.6
-69.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 ₴76.4
$4.94 MX$91.2
-65.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zaporizhzhya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.08 ₴48.64
$1.47 MX$27.17
-26.53%
White Bread (500g)
$0.70 ₴31.51
$2.22 MX$40.95
-68.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.20 ₴53.8
$1.48 MX$27.32
-18.92%
Eggs
$1.68 ₴75.4
$2.49 MX$45.99
-32.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.79 ₴350
$7.52 MX$139
3.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.28 ₴192
$7.96 MX$147
-46.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.29 ₴282
$12.57 MX$232
-49.96%
Apples (1kg)
$1.23 ₴55.0
$2.78 MX$51.3
-55.76%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 ₴69.7
$1.43 MX$26.37
8.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.62 ₴72.7
$2.62 MX$48.37
-38.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 ₴97.9
$2.14 MX$39.49
1.87%
Potato (1kg)
$0.69 ₴31.17
$2.02 MX$37.38
-65.84%
Onion (1kg)
$0.53 ₴23.63
$1.99 MX$36.74
-73.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.26 ₴56.5
$1.14 MX$21.01
10.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₴26.40
$1.20 MX$22.18
-50.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.69 ₴121
$4.26 MX$78.7
-36.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.42 ₴198
$10.02 MX$185
-55.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 ₴35.47
$1.54 MX$28.41
-48.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.16 ₴52.3
$2.66 MX$49.17
-56.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Zaporizhzhya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.39 ₴17.66
$0.53 MX$9.73
-26.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$27.51 MX$508
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.41 ₴63.3
$4.90 MX$90.6
-71.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.35 ₴15.55
$3.43 MX$63.5
-89.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.24 ₴101
$5.38 MX$99.4
-58.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 ₴69.3
$1.45 MX$26.76
6.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K ₴1.4M
$21.2K MX$391.0K
42.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.2K ₴1.1M
$23.0K MX$425.3K
5.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zaporizhzhya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.1 ₴4,315
$85.4 MX$1,577
12.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.59 ₴251
$23.46 MX$434
-76.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.27 ₴281
$28.43 MX$525
-77.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zaporizhzhya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.03 ₴1,348
$62.2 MX$1,149
-51.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.68 MX$530
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.55 ₴204
$5.10 MX$94.3
-10.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zaporizhzhya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$280 ₴12.6K
$201 MX$3,715
39.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,692 ₴120.8K
$3,947 MX$72.9K
-31.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zaporizhzhya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.33 ₴1,900
$44.39 MX$820
-4.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.06 ₴1,798
$41.35 MX$764
-3.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.6 ₴3,979
$72.7 MX$1,344
21.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 ₴4,628
$89.6 MX$1,656
15.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zaporizhzhya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$210 ₴9,410
$979 MX$18.1K
-78.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$159 ₴7,134
$373 MX$6,887
-57.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$393 ₴17.7K
$1,681 MX$31.1K
-76.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$303 ₴13.6K
$1,095 MX$20.2K
-72.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$560 ₴25.1K
$3,949 MX$73.0K
-85.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$386 ₴17.3K
$6,137 MX$113.4K
-93.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zaporizhzhya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$472 ₴21.2K
$738 MX$13.6K
-35.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16
11.45
39.74%

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

Last update for Zaporizhzhya: October 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Zaporizhzhya
$159
Playa del Carmen
$373 135% $214
Groceries & Markets
Zaporizhzhya
$156
Playa del Carmen
$258 65.4% $102
Clothing & Footwear
Zaporizhzhya
$123
Playa del Carmen
$112 9.5% $12
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zaporizhzhya
$108
Playa del Carmen
$137 27.1% $29
Eating Out
Zaporizhzhya
$94
Playa del Carmen
$200 114% $107
Sport & Entertainment
Zaporizhzhya
$39
Playa del Carmen
$72 85% $33
Getting Around
Zaporizhzhya
$4.7 *
Playa del Carmen
$52 995% $47

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $210 in Zaporizhzhya versus $979 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 56% 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 Zaporizhzhya versus $44.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $156 vs $258 – making Zaporizhzhya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇦 Zaporizhzhya
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
13:53 1:53 PM
05:53 5:53 AM
8 h behind Zaporizhzhya
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
750,685
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to UAH – Ukrainian Hryvnia Converter

Ukrainian Hryvnia exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 44.89 UAH (100 UAH = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 50.46 UAH (100 UAH = 1.98 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Zaporizhzhya Playa del Carmen 10,480 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Zaporizhzhya
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Zaporizhzhya vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Zaporizhzhya?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 76%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,026 per month in Zaporizhzhya and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Zaporizhzhya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Zaporizhzhya and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $684 in Zaporizhzhya and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That's a gap of about 76%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $280 per month in Zaporizhzhya and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Zaporizhzhya or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zaporizhzhya, where all-in costs run around $684, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Zaporizhzhya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Zaporizhzhya or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Zaporizhzhya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Zaporizhzhya. 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.

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