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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $455 in Chingola versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $776 in Chingola versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,097 in Chingola versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Chingola costs roughly 65% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chingola 67% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.07 ZMW 307

$11.71 MX$198

37.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.85 ZMW 494

$46.59 MX$788

-44.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

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

$0.54 ZMW 10.37

$1.37 MX$23.23

-60.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ZMW 7.30

$0.83 MX$14.09

-54.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.65 ZMW 12.35

$3.35 MX$56.7

-80.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 ZMW 24.90

$6.91 MX$117

-81.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ZMW 35.94

$1.73 MX$29.20

8.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ZMW 24.37

$2.26 MX$38.21

-43.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 ZMW 49.35

$1.77 MX$29.91

45.76%

Eggs

$1.93 ZMW 36.95

$2.73 MX$46.19

-29.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 ZMW 98.5

$8.92 MX$151

-42.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.85 ZMW 92.7

$12.60 MX$213

-61.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 ZMW 39.72

$3.02 MX$51.1

-31.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 ZMW 40.98

$1.57 MX$26.55

36.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 ZMW 39.60

$2.13 MX$35.93

-2.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ZMW 41.11

$2.26 MX$38.28

-4.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.13 ZMW 59.8

$2.00 MX$33.88

56.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 30.44

$2.06 MX$34.90

-22.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ZMW 16.85

$1.20 MX$20.35

-26.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.54 ZMW 29.42

$4.63 MX$78.4

-66.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.34 ZMW 102

$10.69 MX$181

-50.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ZMW 12.49

$1.62 MX$27.38

-59.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ZMW 15.56

$2.88 MX$48.70

-71.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ZMW 11.45

$3.70 MX$62.6

-83.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.57 ZMW 202

$5.98 MX$101

76.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ZMW 26.96

$1.55 MX$26.26

-9.03%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

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

$53.4 ZMW 1,020

$89.1 MX$1,507

-40.10%

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

$25.04 MX$423

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.59 ZMW 202

$67.8 MX$1,146

-84.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

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

$225 MX$3,803

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.26 ZMW 406

$47.44 MX$802

-55.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.00 ZMW 248

$44.98 MX$760

-71.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.4 ZMW 1,020

$82.0 MX$1,386

-34.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.5 ZMW 1,518

$92.1 MX$1,557

-13.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$15.7K ZMW 299.0K

$6,626 MX$112.0K

136.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$115 ZMW 2,192

$749 MX$12.7K

-84.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Chingola: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 552% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $26.00 in Chingola vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $171 vs $277 per month, with Chingola 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

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

Chingola is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 185% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 552% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 62% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chingola – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $455 in Chingola versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Chingola but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Chingola the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chingola is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Chingola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 185% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.