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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $652 in Chilanga versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $976 in Chilanga versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,301 in Chilanga versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Chilanga costs roughly 48% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chilanga 51% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.14 ZMW 130

$11.99 MX$209

-40.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.30 ZMW 460

$41.78 MX$728

-39.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.69 ZMW 67.1

$10.75 MX$187

-65.67%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ZMW 37.01

$3.50 MX$60.9

-42.00%

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

$0.73 ZMW 13.28

$1.45 MX$25.22

-49.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ZMW 6.60

$0.88 MX$15.41

-59.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.92 ZMW 16.80

$2.95 MX$51.3

-68.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ZMW 31.94

$4.51 MX$78.6

-61.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 ZMW 23.30

$1.43 MX$24.94

-10.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 ZMW 13.74

$1.84 MX$31.99

-59.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 ZMW 29.09

$1.57 MX$27.31

1.91%

Eggs

$1.76 ZMW 32.11

$2.51 MX$43.74

-29.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.64 ZMW 139

$8.28 MX$144

-7.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 ZMW 68.9

$8.43 MX$147

-55.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.64 ZMW 84.4

$10.68 MX$186

-56.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 ZMW 47.14

$2.61 MX$45.43

-0.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZMW 29.09

$1.44 MX$25.04

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 ZMW 51.3

$1.96 MX$34.16

43.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ZMW 20.55

$2.09 MX$36.47

-45.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 ZMW 33.45

$1.85 MX$32.24

-0.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ZMW 24.08

$2.17 MX$37.74

-39.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ZMW 15.66

$1.03 MX$17.96

-16.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.40

$1.07 MX$18.70

-51.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 ZMW 44.87

$4.10 MX$71.4

-39.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 ZMW 195

$10.17 MX$177

5.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ZMW 20.52

$1.68 MX$29.17

-32.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ZMW 27.70

$2.53 MX$43.98

-39.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ZMW 48.92

$3.23 MX$56.3

-16.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.41 ZMW 171

$3.23 MX$56.2

191.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ZMW 22.52

$1.32 MX$23.00

-6.06%

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

$8,084 ZMW 147.1K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-72.78%

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

$28.3K ZMW 514.7K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

19.51%

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

$91.9 ZMW 1,672

$82.0 MX$1,428

12.01%

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

$52.2 ZMW 950

$22.95 MX$400

127.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$127 ZMW 2,311

$30.11 MX$524

321.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.23 ZMW 77.0

$4.98 MX$86.6

-15.06%

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

$180 ZMW 3,271

$197 MX$3,438

-8.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,457 ZMW 172.1K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

77.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.57 ZMW 338

$35.60 MX$620

-47.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.71 ZMW 304

$40.33 MX$702

-58.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 ZMW 1,521

$78.8 MX$1,371

6.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ZMW 1,308

$88.9 MX$1,549

-19.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

118.91%

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

Last update for Chilanga: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $25.00 in Chilanga vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $177 vs $249 per month, with Chilanga 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

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

Chilanga and Playa del Carmen differ by about 93% in total monthly costs ($652 vs $1,256 including rent). Chilanga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $977 in Chilanga and $1,884 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.

Childcare runs $180 in Chilanga versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chilanga – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $652 in Chilanga versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chilanga but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Chilanga 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 Chilanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 93% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.