Cost of Living Comparison Between Chesterfield, MO and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Chesterfield, MO and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,537 in Chesterfield, MO versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,463 in Chesterfield, MO versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,389 in Chesterfield, MO versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Chesterfield, MO is roughly 100% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chesterfield, MO is 85% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.08 $25.08

$11.60 MX$200

116.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.0 $61.0

$47.11 MX$811

29.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.98 $9.98

$11.88 MX$205

-15.99%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$3.98 MX$68.5

27.39%

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

$2.23 $2.23

$1.43 MX$24.57

55.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.82 MX$14.20

51.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.53 $4.53

$3.19 MX$54.9

42.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.47 $6.47

$6.79 MX$117

-4.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.68 MX$28.85

-38.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.20 MX$37.83

37.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.71 MX$29.41

29.24%

Eggs

$3.68 $3.68

$2.74 MX$47.20

34.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.35 $11.35

$9.58 MX$165

18.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.87 $8.87

$9.01 MX$155

-1.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.94 $12.94

$12.81 MX$221

1.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$2.89 MX$49.74

53.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.50 MX$25.78

-24.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.15 MX$36.98

42.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.26 MX$38.91

91.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.98 MX$34.10

-17.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.99 MX$34.26

17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.23 MX$21.25

47.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.20 MX$20.60

69.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.94 $8.94

$4.55 MX$78.3

96.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 $13.62

$10.37 MX$179

31.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.62 MX$27.88

9.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.88 MX$49.60

50.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.60 MX$10.34

231.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$5.39 MX$92.8

-44.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$3.73 MX$64.2

-60.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.88 $35.88

$5.77 MX$99.3

521.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.54 MX$26.45

-41.56%

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

$24.2K $24.2K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

7.28%

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

$23.4K $23.4K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

-10.38%

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

$256 $256

$91.4 MX$1,573

179.96%

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

$58.3 $58.3

$25.20 MX$434

131.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.2 $72.2

$31.24 MX$538

131.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 $42.15

$67.2 MX$1,157

-37.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$12.16 $12.16

$4.86 MX$83.7

150.21%

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

$753 $753

$224 MX$3,851

236.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.2K $20.2K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

376.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 $59.2

$47.10 MX$811

25.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.87 $29.87

$44.29 MX$763

-32.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.32 $40.32

$80.1 MX$1,379

-49.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.95 $39.95

$92.7 MX$1,596

-56.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,760 $1,760

$1,063 MX$18.3K

65.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 $1,251

$390 MX$6,719

220.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,118 $3,118

$2,149 MX$37.0K

45.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,872 $1,872

$1,272 MX$21.9K

47.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,707 $2,707

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-32.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,392 $2,392

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-63.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

11.45

-46.55%

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

Last update for Chesterfield, MO: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,760 in Chesterfield, MO and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61.0 in Chesterfield, MO vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $330 vs $276 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

Chesterfield, MO vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chesterfield, MO and Playa del Carmen differ by about 100% in total monthly costs ($2,537 vs $1,266 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,806 in Chesterfield, MO and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,760 in Chesterfield, MO versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Chesterfield, MO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,537 per month in Chesterfield, MO versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 100% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,537 in Chesterfield, MO, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Chesterfield, MO. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 100% less than in Chesterfield, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.