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: $666 in Chinhoyi versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,032 in Chinhoyi versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,399 in Chinhoyi versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Chinhoyi costs roughly 47% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chinhoyi 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.99 ZWL 53.0

$11.72 MX$203

-83.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.88 ZWL 1,331

$41.89 MX$725

19.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.47 ZWL 119

$10.51 MX$182

-57.47%

Cappuccino

$1.02 ZWL 27.24

$3.59 MX$62.0

-71.59%

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

$0.34 ZWL 9.10

$1.51 MX$26.10

-77.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ZWL 6.38

$0.92 MX$15.83

-73.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ZWL 26.40

$2.96 MX$51.2

-66.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ZWL 52.8

$4.41 MX$76.3

-55.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 ZWL 40.36

$1.40 MX$24.16

7.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 ZWL 21.53

$1.88 MX$32.60

-56.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 ZWL 43.57

$1.56 MX$26.97

4.49%

Eggs

$2.11 ZWL 56.2

$2.61 MX$45.14

-19.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.03 ZWL 294

$8.32 MX$144

32.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ZWL 78.7

$8.35 MX$145

-64.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.03 ZWL 108

$10.86 MX$188

-62.89%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 25.96

$2.71 MX$46.93

-64.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ZWL 27.43

$1.51 MX$26.04

-31.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 ZWL 27.42

$1.87 MX$32.41

-44.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 ZWL 27.42

$2.19 MX$37.89

-52.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 26.01

$1.86 MX$32.14

-47.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 ZWL 27.38

$2.23 MX$38.59

-53.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 ZWL 13.67

$1.07 MX$18.48

-52.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ZWL 20.69

$1.09 MX$18.79

-28.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.07 ZWL 28.62

$4.19 MX$72.4

-74.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.82 ZWL 182

$10.43 MX$180

-34.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ZWL 12.85

$1.66 MX$28.68

-71.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 ZWL 27.39

$2.61 MX$45.19

-60.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ZWL 26.31

$0.54 MX$9.37

83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.74 ZWL 793

$26.16 MX$453

13.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 ZWL 107

$3.08 MX$53.3

30.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 ZWL 53.9

$2.40 MX$41.61

-15.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 ZWL 135

$3.13 MX$54.1

61.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ZWL 36.97

$1.31 MX$22.69

6.11%

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

$20.3K ZWL 540.4K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-32.05%

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

$22.9K ZWL 612.0K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

-1.65%

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

$40.57 ZWL 1,082

$81.3 MX$1,406

-50.09%

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

$17.94 ZWL 479

$22.56 MX$390

-20.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.1 ZWL 2,402

$30.05 MX$520

199.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$10.20 ZWL 272

$4.92 MX$85.1

107.32%

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

$280 ZWL 7,459

$201 MX$3,474

39.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,365 ZWL 196.5K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

42.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.40 ZWL 518

$35.92 MX$622

-45.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.35 ZWL 570

$40.13 MX$694

-46.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.29 ZWL 915

$79.7 MX$1,379

-56.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.83 ZWL 1,063

$86.5 MX$1,496

-53.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 ZWL 4,760

$470 MX$8,140

-62.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 ZWL 8,058

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-74.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$201 ZWL 5,363

$677 MX$11.7K

-70.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.31

11.42

16.55%

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

Last update for Chinhoyi: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 237% 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: $50.0 in Chinhoyi vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $153 vs $252, with Chinhoyi cheaper for home cooking.

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 89% in total monthly costs ($666 vs $1,260 including rent). Chinhoyi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 237% 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 $50.0 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $666 per month in Chinhoyi versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $666 in Chinhoyi versus $1,260 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 89% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.