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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $630 in Chinhoyi versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,001 in Chinhoyi versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,373 in Chinhoyi versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Chinhoyi costs roughly 50% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chinhoyi 54% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

$11.60 MX$200

-83.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.98 ZWL 1,065

$47.11 MX$811

-15.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.43 ZWL 118

$11.88 MX$205

-62.71%

Cappuccino

$0.99 ZWL 26.27

$3.98 MX$68.5

-75.13%

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

$0.35 ZWL 9.21

$1.43 MX$24.58

-75.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ZWL 6.39

$0.82 MX$14.20

-70.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ZWL 26.17

$3.19 MX$54.9

-69.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ZWL 53.8

$6.79 MX$117

-70.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ZWL 39.18

$1.68 MX$28.86

-12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 ZWL 22.97

$2.20 MX$37.84

-60.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 ZWL 43.35

$1.71 MX$29.42

-4.68%

Eggs

$1.94 ZWL 51.7

$2.74 MX$47.21

-29.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.13 ZWL 323

$9.58 MX$165

26.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.98 ZWL 79.4

$9.01 MX$155

-66.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.05 ZWL 108

$12.81 MX$221

-68.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 ZWL 27.16

$2.89 MX$49.75

-64.71%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 25.96

$1.50 MX$25.79

-35.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 25.96

$2.15 MX$37.00

-54.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 ZWL 26.31

$2.26 MX$38.92

-56.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 25.97

$1.98 MX$34.11

-51.01%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 25.96

$1.99 MX$34.27

-51.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ZWL 12.98

$1.23 MX$21.26

-60.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ZWL 20.44

$1.20 MX$20.61

-35.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 ZWL 53.0

$4.55 MX$78.4

-56.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.01 ZWL 187

$10.37 MX$179

-32.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZWL 13.90

$1.62 MX$27.88

-67.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 ZWL 26.13

$2.88 MX$49.61

-65.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ZWL 26.14

$0.60 MX$10.34

63.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.47 ZWL 812

$28.80 MX$496

5.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 ZWL 104

$5.39 MX$92.8

-27.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 ZWL 54.4

$3.73 MX$64.2

-45.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 ZWL 134

$5.77 MX$99.4

-13.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 ZWL 37.34

$1.54 MX$26.46

-9.09%

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

$22.2K ZWL 591.3K

$22.5K MX$388.4K

-1.60%

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

$27.1K ZWL 723.0K

$26.1K MX$448.8K

4.12%

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

$40.57 ZWL 1,081

$91.4 MX$1,574

-55.60%

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

$19.88 ZWL 530

$25.20 MX$434

-21.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 ZWL 1,815

$31.24 MX$538

118.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,158

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$10.09 ZWL 269

$4.86 MX$83.8

107.61%

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

$457 ZWL 12.2K

$224 MX$3,852

104.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,890 ZWL 236.9K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

110.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.34 ZWL 649

$47.10 MX$811

-48.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.44 ZWL 571

$44.29 MX$763

-51.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.49 ZWL 1,053

$80.1 MX$1,380

-50.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.30 ZWL 1,127

$92.7 MX$1,596

-54.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ZWL 4,808

$390 MX$6,721

-53.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 ZWL 7,895

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-76.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$198 ZWL 5,280

$758 MX$13.1K

-73.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.69

11.45

19.56%

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

Last update for Chinhoyi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 283% 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: $40.00 in Chinhoyi vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $155 vs $276 per month, with Chinhoyi 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

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

Chinhoyi and Playa del Carmen differ by about 101% in total monthly costs ($630 vs $1,266 including rent). Chinhoyi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 283% 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.

Dining out is cheaper in Chinhoyi – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $630 per month in Chinhoyi versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 101% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $630 in Chinhoyi versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chinhoyi but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Chinhoyi 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 Chinhoyi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 101% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.