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 $755 per month in Chimaltenango vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,248 per month in Chimaltenango vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,741 per month in Chimaltenango vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Chimaltenango is about 40% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chimaltenango and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Chimaltenango 45% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.88 Q 52.4

$11.60 MX$200

-40.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.56 Q 370

$47.11 MX$812

3.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 Q 60.0

$11.88 MX$205

-33.75%

Cappuccino

$3.35 Q 25.50

$3.98 MX$68.6

-15.83%

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

$1.14 Q 8.70

$1.43 MX$24.60

-20.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 Q 6.33

$0.82 MX$14.22

1.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 Q 25.58

$3.19 MX$55.0

5.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 Q 36.41

$6.79 MX$117

-29.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 Q 15.51

$1.68 MX$28.89

20.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 Q 21.43

$2.20 MX$37.88

27.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 Q 16.05

$1.71 MX$29.45

23.39%

Eggs

$2.58 Q 19.68

$2.74 MX$47.26

-5.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.29 Q 47.92

$9.58 MX$165

-34.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.17 Q 69.9

$9.01 MX$155

1.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.16 Q 100

$12.81 MX$221

2.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 Q 30.68

$2.89 MX$49.81

39.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 Q 12.62

$1.50 MX$25.81

10.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 Q 22.29

$2.15 MX$37.03

35.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 Q 12.24

$2.26 MX$38.96

-28.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 Q 11.42

$1.98 MX$34.15

-24.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 Q 15.95

$1.99 MX$34.30

5.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 Q 5.20

$1.23 MX$21.28

-44.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 Q 9.16

$1.20 MX$20.63

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 Q 30.50

$4.55 MX$78.5

-12.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.30 Q 63.2

$10.37 MX$179

-19.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 Q 13.79

$1.62 MX$27.91

11.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 Q 20.16

$2.88 MX$49.67

-7.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 Q 40.48

$5.39 MX$92.9

-1.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.40 Q 79.3

$5.77 MX$99.5

80.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 Q 9.25

$1.54 MX$26.48

-21.43%

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

$27.8K Q 211.9K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

23.28%

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

$25.1K Q 191.3K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-3.67%

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

$75.3 Q 574

$91.4 MX$1,576

-17.62%

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

$29.05 Q 221

$25.20 MX$435

15.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.31 Q 353

$31.24 MX$539

48.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 Q 49.17

$4.86 MX$83.8

32.72%

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

$335 Q 2,556

$224 MX$3,856

49.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,800 Q 51.8K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

60.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.59 Q 355

$47.10 MX$812

-1.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.52 Q 362

$44.29 MX$764

7.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 Q 846

$80.1 MX$1,381

38.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 Q 875

$92.7 MX$1,598

23.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.62

11.45

1.48%

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

Last update for Chimaltenango: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Chimaltenango versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $276 – 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 68% more than Chimaltenango, 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 $1,132 per month in Chimaltenango and $1,899 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 $49.00 in Chimaltenango and $47.00 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 1% 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 $755, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $755 versus $1,266 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.