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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,005 per month in Zepce vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,544 per month in Zepce vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,083 per month in Zepce vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zepce is about 20% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zepce and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zepce 25% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.63 BAM 14.75

$11.99 MX$210

-28.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.27 BAM 70.6

$41.78 MX$733

-1.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 BAM 15.29

$10.75 MX$189

-16.84%

Cappuccino

$1.57 BAM 2.69

$3.50 MX$61.3

-55.14%

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

$1.99 BAM 3.40

$1.45 MX$25.41

37.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 BAM 2.05

$0.88 MX$15.52

36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 BAM 3.63

$2.95 MX$51.7

-28.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 BAM 4.92

$4.51 MX$79.1

-36.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 BAM 2.32

$1.43 MX$25.12

-4.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 BAM 2.20

$1.84 MX$32.23

-29.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 BAM 2.82

$1.57 MX$27.51

5.10%

Eggs

$2.92 BAM 5.00

$2.51 MX$44.06

16.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 BAM 15.84

$8.28 MX$145

11.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.96 BAM 15.32

$8.43 MX$148

6.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.87 BAM 20.30

$10.68 MX$187

11.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 BAM 2.37

$2.61 MX$45.76

-47.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 BAM 2.73

$1.44 MX$25.22

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 BAM 3.33

$1.96 MX$34.41

-0.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 BAM 3.33

$2.09 MX$36.74

-7.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 BAM 2.12

$1.85 MX$32.47

-32.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 BAM 2.15

$2.17 MX$38.02

-42.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 BAM 2.19

$1.03 MX$18.09

24.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BAM 1.29

$1.07 MX$18.84

-28.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.64 BAM 6.22

$4.10 MX$72.0

-11.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.36 BAM 14.30

$10.17 MX$178

-17.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BAM 1.21

$1.68 MX$29.38

-57.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 BAM 1.87

$2.53 MX$44.31

-56.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 BAM 3.02

$0.51 MX$8.93

247.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.81 BAM 59.5

$26.04 MX$457

33.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 BAM 2.46

$3.23 MX$56.7

-55.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 BAM 1.98

$2.41 MX$42.19

-51.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.81 BAM 15.07

$3.23 MX$56.6

172.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 BAM 2.62

$1.32 MX$23.17

15.91%

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

$28.4K BAM 48.6K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-4.31%

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

$27.1K BAM 46.4K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

14.64%

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

$171 BAM 293

$82.0 MX$1,439

108.93%

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

$18.89 BAM 32.31

$22.95 MX$403

-17.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.98 BAM 41.02

$30.11 MX$528

-20.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.94 BAM 51.2

$52.0 MX$912

-42.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.95 BAM 18.73

$18.53 MX$325

-40.91%

Cinema Ticket

$2.88 BAM 4.93

$4.98 MX$87.3

-42.17%

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

$236 BAM 404

$197 MX$3,463

19.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,638 BAM 6,222

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-31.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.7 BAM 129

$35.60 MX$624

112.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 BAM 61.4

$40.33 MX$707

-11.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 BAM 150

$78.8 MX$1,381

11.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 BAM 214

$88.9 MX$1,560

40.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$256 BAM 438

$947 MX$16.6K

-72.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 BAM 285

$474 MX$8,314

-64.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 BAM 633

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-77.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 BAM 535

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-74.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,872 BAM 4,912

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-29.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,967 BAM 3,364

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-69.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.02

11.42

-56.04%

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

Last update for Zepce: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $256 in Zepce 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Zepce versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $249 – making Zepce 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 25%, 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 $1,507 per month in Zepce 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 Zepce, 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 $1,005 in Zepce 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 34% less in Zepce. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zepce, where all-in costs run around $1,005, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Zepce it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zepce – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Zepce. 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.