Cost of Living Comparison Between Chico, CA and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Chico, CA and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,520 in Chico, CA versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,035 in Chico, CA versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,550 in Chico, CA versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Chico, CA is roughly 95% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chico, CA is 83% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.98 $24.98

$11.71 MX$198

113.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.45 $49.45

$46.59 MX$788

6.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.87 $11.87

$11.65 MX$197

1.89%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$4.09 MX$69.2

31.78%

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

$2.62 $2.62

$1.37 MX$23.23

91.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$0.83 MX$14.09

168.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.38 $7.38

$3.35 MX$56.7

120.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.79 $7.79

$6.91 MX$117

12.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.73 MX$29.20

-36.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.26 MX$38.21

31.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$1.77 MX$29.91

107.91%

Eggs

$4.85 $4.85

$2.73 MX$46.19

77.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.87 $10.87

$9.18 MX$155

18.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.03 $12.03

$8.92 MX$151

34.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.50 $15.50

$12.60 MX$213

23.02%

Apples (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$3.02 MX$51.1

83.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.57 MX$26.55

43.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.13 MX$35.93

82.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$2.26 MX$38.28

147.79%

Potato (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$2.00 MX$33.88

150.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.06 MX$34.90

46.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.18 MX$19.94

103.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.20 MX$20.35

111.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.13 $8.13

$4.63 MX$78.4

75.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.08 $12.08

$10.69 MX$181

13.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.62 MX$27.38

5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 $5.13

$2.88 MX$48.70

78.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 $2.98

$0.57 MX$9.69

422.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.15 $35.15

$29.83 MX$504

17.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$5.45 MX$92.1

-41.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 $2.44

$3.70 MX$62.6

-34.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.54 $40.54

$5.98 MX$101

577.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.55 MX$26.26

-12.90%

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

$38.1K $38.1K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

70.61%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

-4.41%

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

$187 $187

$89.1 MX$1,507

109.69%

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

$48.48 $48.48

$25.04 MX$423

93.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.7 $66.7

$31.50 MX$532

111.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.3 $75.3

$67.8 MX$1,146

11.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$13.26 $13.26

$5.05 MX$85.4

162.57%

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

$1,841 $1,841

$225 MX$3,803

718.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.1K $37.1K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

778.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 $50.9

$47.44 MX$802

7.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.89 $31.89

$44.98 MX$760

-29.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 $69.9

$82.0 MX$1,386

-14.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$92.1 MX$1,557

9.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 $1,486

$1,069 MX$18.1K

39.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 $1,120

$405 MX$6,852

176.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,870 $2,870

$1,935 MX$32.7K

48.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,550 $2,550

$1,301 MX$22.0K

95.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,230 $3,230

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-19.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,915 $2,915

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-56.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,811 $3,811

$749 MX$12.7K

409.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

11.45

-46.72%

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

Last update for Chico, CA: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,486 in Chico, CA and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chico, CA pays 409% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $49.00 in Chico, CA vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $277 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

Chico, CA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 409% higher in Chico, CA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,486 in Chico, CA versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $49.00 in Chico, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,520 per month in Chico, CA versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 95% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,520 in Chico, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Chico, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chico, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 95% less than in Chico, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.