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: $657 in Chinhoyi versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,026 in Chinhoyi versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,396 in Chinhoyi versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Chinhoyi costs roughly 49% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chinhoyi 51% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 ZWL 52.1

$11.94 MX$208

-82.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 ZWL 1,289

$42.75 MX$744

19.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.40 ZWL 111

$10.59 MX$184

-58.45%

Cappuccino

$0.99 ZWL 25.00

$3.62 MX$63.0

-72.65%

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

$0.34 ZWL 8.60

$1.47 MX$25.54

-76.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ZWL 6.03

$0.94 MX$16.41

-74.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ZWL 25.73

$3.09 MX$53.8

-66.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ZWL 49.27

$4.46 MX$77.6

-56.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ZWL 37.19

$1.43 MX$24.80

2.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 ZWL 20.81

$1.88 MX$32.79

-56.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 ZWL 42.06

$1.63 MX$28.34

1.84%

Eggs

$2.15 ZWL 54.3

$2.64 MX$45.99

-18.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.78 ZWL 273

$8.21 MX$143

31.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.92 ZWL 73.8

$8.29 MX$144

-64.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.10 ZWL 104

$11.10 MX$193

-63.06%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 ZWL 24.78

$2.65 MX$46.14

-63.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 ZWL 25.91

$1.50 MX$26.11

-32.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 24.55

$1.99 MX$34.59

-51.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 ZWL 24.71

$2.08 MX$36.13

-52.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 ZWL 25.87

$1.79 MX$31.11

-43.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 24.55

$2.18 MX$37.87

-55.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 ZWL 13.10

$1.08 MX$18.73

-51.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ZWL 19.56

$1.04 MX$18.04

-25.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.13 ZWL 28.62

$3.97 MX$69.1

-71.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.92 ZWL 175

$10.20 MX$178

-32.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ZWL 12.03

$1.73 MX$30.04

-72.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 ZWL 25.69

$2.50 MX$43.46

-59.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ZWL 24.57

$0.52 MX$9.02

86.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 ZWL 753

$26.97 MX$469

10.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.07 ZWL 103

$3.14 MX$54.7

29.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 ZWL 51.2

$2.40 MX$41.80

-15.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 ZWL 127

$3.09 MX$53.7

62.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ZWL 36.24

$1.27 MX$22.16

12.60%

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

$20.2K ZWL 511.5K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-34.51%

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

$23.8K ZWL 602.2K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

2.13%

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

$40.71 ZWL 1,029

$82.0 MX$1,427

-50.36%

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

$17.57 ZWL 444

$22.45 MX$391

-21.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.4 ZWL 2,260

$29.66 MX$516

201.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$10.19 ZWL 258

$4.97 MX$86.5

105.03%

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

$279 ZWL 7,060

$198 MX$3,442

41.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,438 ZWL 188.1K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

41.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.75 ZWL 500

$36.34 MX$632

-45.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.96 ZWL 530

$40.05 MX$697

-47.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.06 ZWL 861

$79.9 MX$1,390

-57.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.40 ZWL 1,022

$88.9 MX$1,547

-54.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ZWL 4,638

$465 MX$8,086

-60.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ZWL 7,594

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-75.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$201 ZWL 5,078

$720 MX$12.5K

-72.13%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 259% 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: $51.0 in Chinhoyi vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $152 vs $251, 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 96% in total monthly costs ($657 vs $1,287 including rent). Chinhoyi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 259% less. 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 $51.0 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $657 per month in Chinhoyi versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 96% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $657 in Chinhoyi versus $1,287 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 96% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.