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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,111 per month in Chaves vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,677 per month in Chaves vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,242 per month in Chaves vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Chaves is about 14% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chaves and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Chaves 19% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.08 €6.95

$11.71 MX$198

-31.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.81 €19.63

$46.59 MX$786

-51.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.23 €7.09

$11.65 MX$197

-29.36%

Cappuccino

$1.59 €1.37

$4.09 MX$69.1

-61.12%

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

$1.52 €1.31

$1.37 MX$23.20

10.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 €0.52

$0.83 MX$14.07

-26.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 €1.95

$3.35 MX$56.6

-32.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.39

$6.91 MX$117

-59.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 €0.87

$1.73 MX$29.15

-41.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 €1.03

$2.26 MX$38.15

-47.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 €1.01

$1.77 MX$29.86

-33.33%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.73

$2.73 MX$46.12

16.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.45 €5.55

$9.18 MX$155

-29.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 €5.99

$8.92 MX$151

-21.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.96 €9.43

$12.60 MX$213

-13.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 €0.97

$3.02 MX$51.0

-62.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 €0.97

$1.57 MX$26.51

-28.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 €1.01

$2.13 MX$35.88

-45.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 €1.02

$2.26 MX$38.22

-47.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 €1.80

$2.00 MX$33.82

5.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 €1.03

$2.06 MX$34.85

-42.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.18 MX$19.91

22.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$1.20 MX$20.32

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 €5.12

$4.63 MX$78.2

28.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.10 €3.53

$10.69 MX$180

-61.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.98

$1.62 MX$27.33

-30.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$2.88 MX$48.63

-59.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.57 MX$9.68

56.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.07 €25.01

$29.83 MX$503

-2.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.18 €3.59

$5.45 MX$91.9

-23.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 €0.59

$3.70 MX$62.5

-81.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.41 €17.56

$5.98 MX$101

241.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.55 MX$26.22

34.84%

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

$34.7K €29.8K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

55.23%

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

$39.6K €34.1K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

52.62%

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

$138 €119

$89.1 MX$1,504

55.29%

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

$18.35 €15.79

$25.04 MX$423

-26.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.35 €28.70

$31.50 MX$532

5.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.66 €22.94

$67.8 MX$1,144

-60.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.76 €4.95

$28.92 MX$488

-80.08%

Cinema Ticket

$7.76 €6.68

$5.05 MX$85.2

53.66%

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

$237 €204

$225 MX$3,797

5.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,777 €3,250

$4,222 MX$71.3K

-10.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 €62.9

$47.44 MX$801

53.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.98 €19.77

$44.98 MX$759

-48.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.9 €57.6

$82.0 MX$1,384

-18.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 €81.1

$92.1 MX$1,555

2.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 €435

$1,069 MX$18.0K

-52.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 €333

$405 MX$6,842

-4.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 €848

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-49.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$772 €664

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-40.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,947 €1,675

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-51.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,491 €1,283

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-77.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,044 €898

$749 MX$12.6K

39.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-73.80%

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

Last update for Chaves: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $505 in Chaves versus $1,069 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.

Salaries run about 39% higher in Chaves, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Chaves versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $191 vs $277 – making Chaves 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 16% more than Chaves, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,667 per month in Chaves and $1,940 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 Chaves, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Chaves. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $237 per month in Chaves and $225 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chaves, where all-in costs run around $1,111, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Chaves it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chaves costs $1,111 versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chaves. 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.