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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,109 per month in Zihuatanejo vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,760 per month in Zihuatanejo vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,412 per month in Zihuatanejo vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zihuatanejo is about 12% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Zihuatanejo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zihuatanejo 17% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.72 MX$186

$11.67 MX$202

-8.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.23 MX$663

$41.88 MX$726

-8.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 MX$134

$10.40 MX$180

-25.67%

Cappuccino

$3.22 MX$55.8

$3.61 MX$62.6

-10.80%

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

$1.23 MX$21.30

$1.47 MX$25.45

-16.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.55

$0.91 MX$15.80

4.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 MX$40.11

$3.03 MX$52.6

-23.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 MX$65.7

$4.47 MX$77.4

-15.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$25.03

$1.38 MX$23.83

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 MX$59.0

$1.84 MX$31.93

84.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.95

$1.61 MX$27.82

-3.11%

Eggs

$4.30 MX$74.5

$2.57 MX$44.52

67.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.11 MX$141

$8.49 MX$147

-4.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 MX$133

$8.49 MX$147

-9.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 MX$187

$10.99 MX$190

-2.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MX$46.69

$2.73 MX$47.25

-1.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MX$23.92

$1.50 MX$25.92

-8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.84

$1.96 MX$33.93

-12.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MX$28.72

$2.12 MX$36.70

-21.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.19

$1.86 MX$32.30

3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.89

$2.17 MX$37.67

-7.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MX$20.81

$1.07 MX$18.59

12.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MX$17.62

$1.05 MX$18.18

-2.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$74.6

$4.19 MX$72.6

2.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.89 MX$206

$10.28 MX$178

15.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 MX$27.12

$1.67 MX$28.87

-5.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 MX$49.66

$2.49 MX$43.12

15.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MX$11.20

$0.54 MX$9.37

20.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 MX$46.05

$3.10 MX$53.8

-14.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 MX$26.60

$2.46 MX$42.66

-37.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.08 MX$140

$3.24 MX$56.1

149.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.84

$1.26 MX$21.83

4.76%

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

$21.1K MX$365.6K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-30.07%

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

$22.2K MX$384.6K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

-5.34%

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

$56.2 MX$973

$84.0 MX$1,456

-33.13%

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

$10.51 MX$182

$22.21 MX$385

-52.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.40 MX$492

$29.65 MX$514

-4.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.91 MX$622

$52.6 MX$912

-31.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.58 MX$270

$18.34 MX$318

-15.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.68 MX$81.1

$4.95 MX$85.7

-5.45%

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

$203 MX$3,521

$198 MX$3,438

2.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,542 MX$61.4K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

-33.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 MX$934

$35.95 MX$623

49.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$695

$40.06 MX$694

0.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 MX$1,560

$78.8 MX$1,365

14.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 MX$1,398

$86.5 MX$1,499

-6.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 MX$8,890

$977 MX$16.9K

-47.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,764

$471 MX$8,158

-17.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$917 MX$15.9K

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-42.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 MX$13.4K

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-36.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,232 MX$38.7K

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-44.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,294 MX$22.4K

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-80.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

11.42

0.53%

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

Last update for Zihuatanejo: April 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $513 in Zihuatanejo versus $977 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 $38 in Zihuatanejo versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $268 in Zihuatanejo vs $252 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,663 per month in Zihuatanejo and $1,891 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 Zihuatanejo, 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 $1,109 in Zihuatanejo and $1,261 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $203 per month in Zihuatanejo 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zihuatanejo, where all-in costs run around $1,109, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Zihuatanejo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zihuatanejo – 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 Zihuatanejo. 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.