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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,123 per month in Chihuahua vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,706 per month in Chihuahua vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,289 per month in Chihuahua vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Chihuahua is about 11% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chihuahua and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Chihuahua 16% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.60 MX$185

$11.99 MX$210

-11.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.19 MX$545

$41.78 MX$731

-25.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.83 MX$154

$10.75 MX$188

-17.86%

Cappuccino

$3.78 MX$66.0

$3.50 MX$61.1

8.00%

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

$1.02 MX$17.84

$1.45 MX$25.33

-29.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 MX$14.99

$0.88 MX$15.47

-2.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 MX$31.92

$2.95 MX$51.6

-37.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MX$59.4

$4.51 MX$78.9

-24.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$26.63

$1.43 MX$25.04

6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 MX$50.8

$1.84 MX$32.13

57.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.29

$1.57 MX$27.42

21.02%

Eggs

$2.37 MX$41.43

$2.51 MX$43.92

-5.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.03 MX$158

$8.28 MX$145

9.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.98 MX$140

$8.43 MX$147

-5.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.79 MX$206

$10.68 MX$187

10.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 MX$45.73

$2.61 MX$45.62

0.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MX$24.39

$1.44 MX$25.15

-3.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.14

$1.96 MX$34.31

-3.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.39

$2.09 MX$36.62

-8.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 MX$36.83

$1.85 MX$32.37

14.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.54

$2.17 MX$37.90

-8.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 MX$21.90

$1.03 MX$18.04

21.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MX$18.51

$1.07 MX$18.78

-0.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.6

$4.10 MX$71.7

Wine (Bottle)

$11.03 MX$193

$10.17 MX$178

8.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 MX$26.42

$1.68 MX$29.29

-10.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 MX$49.05

$2.53 MX$44.17

10.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MX$11.44

$0.51 MX$8.90

27.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.10 MX$561

$26.04 MX$455

23.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 MX$47.45

$3.23 MX$56.5

-16.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 MX$12.12

$2.41 MX$42.06

-71.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.57 MX$167

$3.23 MX$56.5

196.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.53

$1.32 MX$23.10

-2.27%

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

$20.9K MX$366.1K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-29.50%

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

$23.3K MX$407.3K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

-1.56%

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

$73.7 MX$1,289

$82.0 MX$1,434

-10.15%

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

$22.80 MX$399

$22.95 MX$401

-0.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.73 MX$415

$30.11 MX$527

-21.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.82 MX$452

$52.0 MX$909

-50.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.86 MX$487

$18.53 MX$324

50.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 MX$75.0

$4.98 MX$87.0

-13.86%

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

$184 MX$3,219

$197 MX$3,452

-6.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,764 MX$65.8K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

-29.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 MX$952

$35.60 MX$622

52.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.73 MX$695

$40.33 MX$705

-1.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,771

$78.8 MX$1,377

28.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.3 MX$1,316

$88.9 MX$1,555

-15.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 MX$7,618

$947 MX$16.6K

-53.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 MX$6,379

$474 MX$8,288

-23.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 MX$15.3K

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-46.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 MX$9,633

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-54.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,535 MX$61.8K

$4,056 MX$70.9K

-12.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,184 MX$20.7K

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-81.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 MX$15.1K

$654 MX$11.4K

32.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

11.42

-1.49%

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

Last update for Chihuahua: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $436 in Chihuahua versus $947 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 32% higher in Chihuahua, 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 $31.00 in Chihuahua versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $266 in Chihuahua vs $249 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 12% more than Chihuahua, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,684 per month in Chihuahua and $1,884 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 Chihuahua, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $184 per month in Chihuahua and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chihuahua, where all-in costs run around $1,123, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Chihuahua 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. Chihuahua costs $1,123 versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Chihuahua. 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.