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 $1,339 per month in Chihuahua vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,958 per month in Chihuahua vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,577 per month in Chihuahua vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Chihuahua costs about 4% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chihuahua and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Chihuahua 3% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 MX$197

$11.71 MX$199

-0.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.74 MX$590

$46.59 MX$792

-25.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.62 MX$197

$11.65 MX$198

-0.26%

Cappuccino

$2.51 MX$42.64

$4.09 MX$69.6

-38.63%

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

$1.31 MX$22.26

$1.37 MX$23.35

-4.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$14.91

$0.83 MX$14.17

6.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 MX$43.61

$3.35 MX$57.0

-23.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 MX$71.6

$6.91 MX$117

-39.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 MX$29.60

$1.73 MX$29.35

0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.35 MX$56.9

$2.26 MX$38.41

48.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.07

$1.77 MX$30.07

23.16%

Eggs

$2.76 MX$46.83

$2.73 MX$46.43

1.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 MX$176

$9.18 MX$156

12.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.28 MX$124

$8.92 MX$152

-18.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.78 MX$234

$12.60 MX$214

9.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 MX$43.33

$3.02 MX$51.3

-15.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 MX$27.91

$1.57 MX$26.69

4.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.55

$2.13 MX$36.12

0.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 MX$52.1

$2.26 MX$38.48

35.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 MX$44.38

$2.00 MX$34.05

30.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 MX$49.65

$2.06 MX$35.08

41.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$24.81

$1.18 MX$20.05

23.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 MX$22.17

$1.20 MX$20.46

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.72 MX$80.3

$4.63 MX$78.8

1.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.25 MX$191

$10.69 MX$182

5.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 MX$26.62

$1.62 MX$27.52

-3.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 MX$52.3

$2.88 MX$48.96

6.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.40

$0.57 MX$9.74

7.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.49 MX$603

$29.83 MX$507

18.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 MX$51.0

$5.45 MX$92.6

-44.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 MX$13.44

$3.70 MX$63.0

-78.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.47 MX$178

$5.98 MX$102

75.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MX$25.39

$1.55 MX$26.40

-3.87%

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

$23.1K MX$393.1K

$22.3K MX$379.4K

3.61%

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

$26.0K MX$441.5K

$25.9K MX$441.0K

0.13%

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

$88.6 MX$1,506

$89.1 MX$1,515

-0.58%

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

$22.59 MX$384

$25.04 MX$426

-9.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.93 MX$441

$31.50 MX$535

-17.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.63 MX$504

$67.8 MX$1,152

-56.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$5.39 MX$91.5

$5.05 MX$85.8

6.73%

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

$285 MX$4,843

$225 MX$3,823

26.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,593 MX$61.1K

$4,222 MX$71.8K

-14.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 MX$892

$47.44 MX$806

10.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.15 MX$444

$44.98 MX$764

-41.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MX$1,848

$82.0 MX$1,393

32.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 MX$1,629

$92.1 MX$1,565

4.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$649 MX$11.0K

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-39.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 MX$8,406

$405 MX$6,888

22.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 MX$19.7K

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-40.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$736 MX$12.5K

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-43.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,713 MX$63.1K

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-7.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,226 MX$20.8K

$6,626 MX$112.6K

-81.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$921 MX$15.7K

$749 MX$12.7K

23.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.84

11.45

-5.33%

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

Last update for Chihuahua: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $649 in Chihuahua 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 23% higher in Chihuahua, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Chihuahua versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Chihuahua vs $277 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

Chihuahua costs about 4% more than Playa del Carmen, 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 $2,009 per month in Chihuahua 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $285 per month in Chihuahua and $225 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Chihuahua, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Chihuahua at $1,339. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chihuahua it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,293 versus $1,339 in Chihuahua. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chihuahua makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.