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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $422 per month in Zawiya vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $694 per month in Zawiya vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $967 per month in Zawiya vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zawiya is about 66% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zawiya and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zawiya 68% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 LYD 17.41

$11.99 MX$209

-77.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.45 LYD 118

$41.78 MX$728

-55.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.75 LYD 23.89

$10.75 MX$187

-65.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.53 LYD 3.40

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.23

Cappuccino

$0.48 LYD 3.03

$3.50 MX$60.9

-86.29%

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

$0.46 LYD 2.91

$1.45 MX$25.22

-68.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.11 LYD 0.67

$0.88 MX$15.41

-87.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 LYD 6.54

$1.43 MX$24.94

-27.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 LYD 1.47

$1.84 MX$31.99

-87.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 LYD 7.49

$1.57 MX$27.31

-24.84%

Eggs

$1.17 LYD 7.48

$2.51 MX$43.74

-53.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.99 LYD 31.76

$8.28 MX$144

-39.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 LYD 21.04

$8.43 MX$147

-60.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 LYD 66.2

$10.68 MX$186

-2.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 LYD 13.11

$2.61 MX$45.43

-21.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 LYD 8.49

$1.44 MX$25.04

-7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 LYD 4.81

$1.96 MX$34.16

-61.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 LYD 3.36

$2.09 MX$36.47

-74.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 LYD 3.94

$1.85 MX$32.24

-66.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 LYD 2.12

$2.17 MX$37.74

-84.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 LYD 2.43

$1.03 MX$17.96

-63.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.17 LYD 1.10

$1.07 MX$18.70

-84.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.76 LYD 4.83

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 LYD 4.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 LYD 4.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.85 LYD 11.76

$4.10 MX$71.4

-54.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 LYD 5.78

$0.51 MX$8.87

78.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.79 LYD 298

$26.04 MX$453

79.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 LYD 5.74

$3.23 MX$56.3

-72.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 LYD 5.66

$2.41 MX$41.88

-63.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 LYD 17.62

$3.23 MX$56.2

-14.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 LYD 0.18

$1.32 MX$23.00

-97.73%

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

$13.7K LYD 87.2K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-53.90%

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

$16.4K LYD 104.7K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-30.55%

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

$32.61 LYD 208

$82.0 MX$1,428

-60.24%

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

$6.29 LYD 40.07

$22.95 MX$400

-72.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.17 LYD 90.2

$30.11 MX$524

-52.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.19 LYD 129

$52.0 MX$905

-61.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.68 LYD 29.82

$18.53 MX$323

-74.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.50 LYD 28.69

$4.98 MX$86.6

-9.64%

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

$52.3 LYD 333

$197 MX$3,438

-73.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$908 LYD 5,786

$5,336 MX$92.9K

-82.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.44 LYD 137

$35.60 MX$620

-39.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.92 LYD 222

$40.33 MX$702

-13.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.12 LYD 205

$78.8 MX$1,371

-59.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.80 LYD 234

$88.9 MX$1,549

-58.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$106 LYD 674

$947 MX$16.5K

-88.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$69.9 LYD 445

$474 MX$8,254

-85.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 LYD 1,268

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-87.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 LYD 864

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-88.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$467 LYD 2,975

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-88.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$38.16 LYD 243

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-99.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$253 LYD 1,613

$654 MX$11.4K

-61.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.5

11.42

53.24%

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

Last update for Zawiya: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $106 in Zawiya versus $947 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 158% 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 $18.00 in Zawiya versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $115 vs $249 – making Zawiya 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 198%, 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 $632 per month in Zawiya and $1,884 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 Zawiya, 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 $422 in Zawiya and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 80% less in Zawiya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zawiya, where all-in costs run around $422, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Zawiya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zawiya – 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 Zawiya. 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.