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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $905 per month in Zgharta vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,431 per month in Zgharta vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,957 per month in Zgharta vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zgharta is about 30% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Zgharta and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zgharta 32% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.97 LBP 981.7K

$11.94 MX$209

-8.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.1 LBP 5.5M

$42.75 MX$748

42.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 LBP 712.0K

$10.59 MX$185

-24.83%

Cappuccino

$3.43 LBP 306.9K

$3.62 MX$63.4

-5.25%

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

$1.59 LBP 142.6K

$1.47 MX$25.69

8.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 LBP 82.5K

$0.94 MX$16.51

-2.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 LBP 321.9K

$3.09 MX$54.1

16.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 LBP 438.8K

$4.46 MX$78.0

9.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LBP 152.0K

$1.43 MX$24.94

18.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 LBP 70.1K

$1.88 MX$32.97

-58.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 LBP 156.0K

$1.63 MX$28.50

6.75%

Eggs

$3.12 LBP 278.8K

$2.64 MX$46.26

18.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.14 LBP 996.8K

$8.21 MX$144

35.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 LBP 837.7K

$8.29 MX$145

12.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.46 LBP 1.0M

$11.10 MX$194

3.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 LBP 160.5K

$2.65 MX$46.40

-32.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 LBP 137.0K

$1.50 MX$26.26

2.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 LBP 97.8K

$1.99 MX$34.79

-45.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 LBP 97.9K

$2.08 MX$36.33

-47.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 LBP 91.1K

$1.79 MX$31.29

-43.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 93.2K

$2.18 MX$38.09

-52.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 LBP 77.3K

$1.08 MX$18.84

-20.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LBP 46.3K

$1.04 MX$18.15

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 LBP 218.7K

$3.97 MX$69.5

-38.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.84 LBP 970.1K

$10.20 MX$179

6.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 LBP 114.1K

$1.73 MX$30.22

-26.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 LBP 192.0K

$2.50 MX$43.71

-14.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 LBP 449.2K

$3.14 MX$55.0

59.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 LBP 114.4K

$2.40 MX$42.04

-46.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.70 LBP 1.8M

$3.09 MX$54.0

537.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 LBP 78.3K

$1.27 MX$22.28

-31.50%

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

$35.3K LBP 3.2B

$30.9K MX$540.4K

14.16%

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

$27.8K LBP 2.5B

$23.3K MX$408.0K

19.38%

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

$212 LBP 19.0M

$82.0 MX$1,435

158.35%

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

$37.94 LBP 3.4M

$22.45 MX$393

69.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 LBP 3.4M

$29.66 MX$519

27.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 LBP 708.0K

$4.97 MX$87.0

59.15%

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

$302 LBP 27.0M

$198 MX$3,462

52.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,479 LBP 400.9M

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-15.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 LBP 6.3M

$36.34 MX$636

95.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 LBP 4.0M

$40.05 MX$701

10.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 LBP 10.9M

$79.9 MX$1,398

53.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.8 LBP 8.3M

$88.9 MX$1,555

4.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

11.42

-2.28%

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

Last update for Zgharta: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Zgharta versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Zgharta vs $251 in Playa del Carmen – so Zgharta wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 42%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,357 per month in Zgharta and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $905 in Zgharta and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $302 per month in Zgharta and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zgharta, where all-in costs run around $905, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Zgharta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zgharta – 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 Zgharta. 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.