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 $995 per month in Zgharta vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,580 per month in Zgharta vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,165 per month in Zgharta vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zgharta is about 24% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Zgharta and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zgharta 28% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.19 LBP 1.1M

$11.96 MX$203

1.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 LBP 5.7M

$47.38 MX$804

33.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 LBP 891.1K

$11.75 MX$199

-15.23%

Cappuccino

$4.58 LBP 409.6K

$4.12 MX$70.0

11.17%

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

$2.30 LBP 205.5K

$1.40 MX$23.74

64.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 LBP 76.8K

$0.91 MX$15.48

-5.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 LBP 435.9K

$3.21 MX$54.4

51.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 LBP 435.7K

$7.07 MX$120

-31.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 LBP 175.2K

$1.68 MX$28.44

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 LBP 78.6K

$2.15 MX$36.48

-59.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 LBP 190.1K

$1.77 MX$30.10

19.77%

Eggs

$3.64 LBP 325.3K

$2.82 MX$47.76

29.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.56 LBP 1.2M

$9.20 MX$156

47.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.54 LBP 943.1K

$9.23 MX$157

14.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.26 LBP 1.3M

$12.64 MX$214

12.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 LBP 269.4K

$2.95 MX$50.1

2.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 LBP 147.3K

$1.58 MX$26.79

4.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 LBP 143.3K

$2.22 MX$37.70

-27.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 LBP 137.7K

$2.36 MX$40.09

-34.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 LBP 120.8K

$1.99 MX$33.81

-32.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 LBP 146.9K

$1.98 MX$33.58

-17.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 LBP 104.4K

$1.24 MX$21.04

-5.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 LBP 65.9K

$1.21 MX$20.55

-38.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 LBP 264.7K

$4.60 MX$78.1

-35.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.02 LBP 897.1K

$10.52 MX$178

-4.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 LBP 119.5K

$1.69 MX$28.70

-20.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 LBP 220.3K

$2.77 MX$47.06

-11.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 LBP 436.6K

$5.24 MX$88.8

-6.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 LBP 196.3K

$3.65 MX$61.9

-40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.28 LBP 2.0M

$5.78 MX$98.1

285.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 LBP 89.7K

$1.54 MX$26.09

-35.06%

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

$53.2K LBP 4.8B

$22.8K MX$386.8K

133.49%

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

$32.3K LBP 2.9B

$25.8K MX$437.9K

25.23%

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

$227 LBP 20.3M

$90.7 MX$1,538

150.04%

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

$23.70 LBP 2.1M

$25.19 MX$427

-5.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.97 LBP 3.4M

$31.75 MX$539

19.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$10.09 LBP 903.1K

$4.86 MX$82.5

107.61%

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

$681 LBP 60.9M

$226 MX$3,828

201.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K LBP 978.0M

$4,194 MX$71.1K

160.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 LBP 6.0M

$47.38 MX$804

41.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.70 LBP 4.4M

$43.45 MX$737

14.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 LBP 12.3M

$80.2 MX$1,361

71.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 LBP 10.8M

$91.4 MX$1,550

32.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-3.93%

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

Last update for Zgharta: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Zgharta versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $279 vs $278 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 31%, 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 $1,493 per month in Zgharta and $1,958 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 $995 in Zgharta and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $681 per month in Zgharta and $226 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 $995, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.