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 $896 per month in Zgharta vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,433 per month in Zgharta vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,971 per month in Zgharta vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zgharta is about 29% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Zgharta and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zgharta 33% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.86 LBP 972.3K

$11.87 MX$204

-8.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 LBP 5.3M

$42.90 MX$736

38.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.17 LBP 731.3K

$10.65 MX$183

-23.29%

Cappuccino

$3.41 LBP 304.8K

$3.45 MX$59.2

-1.16%

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

$1.64 LBP 147.1K

$1.50 MX$25.81

9.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 LBP 79.0K

$0.95 MX$16.28

-7.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 LBP 317.2K

$3.03 MX$51.9

16.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 LBP 442.7K

$4.61 MX$79.1

7.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 LBP 159.0K

$1.38 MX$23.61

28.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 LBP 71.0K

$1.85 MX$31.70

-57.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 LBP 159.2K

$1.61 MX$27.65

10.56%

Eggs

$3.19 LBP 285.3K

$2.59 MX$44.51

23.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.47 LBP 1.0M

$8.26 MX$142

38.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.78 LBP 875.1K

$8.37 MX$144

16.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.50 LBP 1.0M

$10.66 MX$183

7.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 LBP 159.4K

$2.63 MX$45.12

-32.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 LBP 130.1K

$1.49 MX$25.53

-2.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 LBP 97.4K

$1.92 MX$32.94

-43.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 LBP 98.4K

$2.09 MX$35.81

-47.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 LBP 82.8K

$1.86 MX$31.88

-50.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 LBP 90.2K

$2.26 MX$38.81

-55.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 LBP 78.1K

$1.06 MX$18.23

-17.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LBP 46.1K

$1.09 MX$18.67

-52.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 LBP 227.5K

$4.15 MX$71.2

-38.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.06 LBP 899.9K

$10.39 MX$178

-3.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 LBP 114.1K

$1.72 MX$29.59

-26.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 LBP 196.2K

$2.61 MX$44.85

-16.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 LBP 436.5K

$3.13 MX$53.7

55.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 LBP 109.4K

$2.51 MX$43.09

-51.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.24 LBP 1.8M

$3.15 MX$54.1

542.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 LBP 79.7K

$1.27 MX$21.88

-29.92%

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

$35.7K LBP 3.2B

$30.4K MX$521.3K

17.48%

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

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

$23.6K MX$404.5K

18.73%

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

$218 LBP 19.5M

$83.0 MX$1,425

163.13%

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

$37.70 LBP 3.4M

$22.71 MX$390

66.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.91 LBP 3.3M

$29.46 MX$506

25.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$8.18 LBP 732.2K

$4.93 MX$84.5

65.92%

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

$305 LBP 27.3M

$197 MX$3,386

54.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,455 LBP 398.7M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-15.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.2 LBP 6.5M

$36.90 MX$633

95.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.16 LBP 4.0M

$39.89 MX$685

10.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 LBP 11.0M

$80.0 MX$1,373

53.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.6 LBP 8.4M

$89.5 MX$1,536

4.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Zgharta versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Zgharta vs $250 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 $1,344 per month in Zgharta and $1,906 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 $896 in Zgharta and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Zgharta and $197 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 $896, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.