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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $730 per month in Chimaltenango vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,212 per month in Chimaltenango vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,694 per month in Chimaltenango vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Chimaltenango is about 44% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chimaltenango and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Chimaltenango 46% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.08 Q 38.72

$11.73 MX$203

-56.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 Q 387

$41.62 MX$721

21.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 Q 49.03

$10.64 MX$184

-39.47%

Cappuccino

$3.30 Q 25.10

$3.52 MX$61.0

-6.25%

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

$1.23 Q 9.40

$1.51 MX$26.17

-18.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 Q 6.95

$0.97 MX$16.87

-6.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 Q 25.10

$2.95 MX$51.1

11.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 Q 35.71

$4.45 MX$77.2

5.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 Q 15.95

$1.38 MX$23.97

51.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 Q 23.06

$1.89 MX$32.78

60.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 Q 15.69

$1.64 MX$28.37

25.61%

Eggs

$2.65 Q 20.19

$2.51 MX$43.42

5.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.75 Q 59.0

$8.34 MX$145

-7.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.38 Q 63.8

$8.34 MX$145

0.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.58 Q 88.2

$10.73 MX$186

7.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Q 28.10

$2.60 MX$45.12

41.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Q 11.95

$1.46 MX$25.25

7.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 Q 22.95

$1.90 MX$32.94

58.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 Q 13.53

$2.08 MX$35.98

-14.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 Q 12.84

$1.78 MX$30.77

-5.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 Q 18.01

$2.19 MX$37.87

7.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 Q 5.68

$1.04 MX$18.02

-27.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 Q 9.35

$1.08 MX$18.66

13.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.73 Q 28.45

$4.08 MX$70.7

-8.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 Q 63.1

$10.32 MX$179

-19.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 Q 12.36

$1.71 MX$29.67

-5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 Q 18.36

$2.58 MX$44.63

-6.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 Q 39.56

$3.26 MX$56.5

59.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 Q 4.56

$2.49 MX$43.17

-75.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.64 Q 119

$3.25 MX$56.3

381.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 Q 8.46

$1.31 MX$22.65

-15.27%

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

$19.9K Q 151.5K

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-34.30%

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

$24.9K Q 189.9K

$23.4K MX$406.0K

6.41%

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

$80.2 Q 611

$82.9 MX$1,436

-3.23%

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

$26.30 Q 200

$22.22 MX$385

18.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.04 Q 366

$29.34 MX$508

63.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$7.22 Q 55.0

$5.07 MX$87.8

42.41%

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

$244 Q 1,855

$201 MX$3,480

21.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,786 Q 44.1K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

11.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.30 Q 376

$36.92 MX$640

33.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 Q 398

$39.79 MX$689

31.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 Q 897

$78.5 MX$1,360

50.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 Q 913

$87.1 MX$1,509

37.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.9

11.42

-22.07%

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

Last update for Chimaltenango: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Chimaltenango versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 78% more than Chimaltenango, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,094 per month in Chimaltenango and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Chimaltenango and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% 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 Chimaltenango, where all-in costs run around $730, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Chimaltenango 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. Chimaltenango costs $730 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chimaltenango. 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.