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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $807 per month in Chiquimula vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,330 per month in Chiquimula vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,852 per month in Chiquimula vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Chiquimula is about 36% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiquimula and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Chiquimula 39% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.30 Q 63.3

$11.72 MX$203

-29.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 Q 396

$41.89 MX$725

23.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.10 Q 69.4

$10.51 MX$182

-13.42%

Cappuccino

$3.94 Q 30.05

$3.59 MX$62.0

9.75%

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

$2.01 Q 15.30

$1.51 MX$26.10

33.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 Q 9.57

$0.92 MX$15.83

36.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.77 Q 28.77

$2.96 MX$51.2

27.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 Q 44.53

$4.41 MX$76.3

32.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 Q 14.57

$1.40 MX$24.16

36.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.57 Q 27.18

$1.88 MX$32.60

89.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 Q 12.50

$1.56 MX$26.97

5.13%

Eggs

$2.57 Q 19.59

$2.61 MX$45.14

-1.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.58 Q 57.8

$8.32 MX$144

-8.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.27 Q 70.7

$8.35 MX$145

11.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.29 Q 78.4

$10.86 MX$188

-5.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 Q 34.48

$2.71 MX$46.93

66.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 Q 16.20

$1.51 MX$26.04

40.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.02 Q 38.27

$1.87 MX$32.41

168.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 Q 12.39

$2.19 MX$37.89

-26.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 Q 14.28

$1.86 MX$32.14

0.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 Q 13.15

$2.23 MX$38.59

-22.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 Q 9.65

$1.07 MX$18.48

18.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 Q 10.09

$1.09 MX$18.79

21.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 Q 29.71

$4.19 MX$72.4

-6.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.91 Q 68.0

$10.43 MX$180

-14.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.05 Q 23.29

$1.66 MX$28.68

83.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 Q 27.67

$2.61 MX$45.19

39.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.72 Q 35.98

$3.08 MX$53.3

53.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 Q 4.81

$2.40 MX$41.61

-73.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 Q 8.54

$1.31 MX$22.69

-14.50%

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

$20.0K Q 152.3K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-33.01%

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

$22.8K Q 173.9K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

-2.23%

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

$49.88 Q 380

$81.3 MX$1,406

-38.63%

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

$39.44 Q 301

$22.56 MX$390

74.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 Q 521

$30.05 MX$520

127.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$8.59 Q 65.5

$4.92 MX$85.1

74.59%

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

$522 Q 3,980

$201 MX$3,474

159.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K Q 95.5K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

142.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.09 Q 351

$35.92 MX$622

28.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 Q 411

$40.13 MX$694

34.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 Q 781

$79.7 MX$1,379

28.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.3 Q 643

$86.5 MX$1,496

-2.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

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)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

11.42

-25.57%

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

Last update for Chiquimula: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Chiquimula versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $252 – 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,210 per month in Chiquimula and $1,890 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 $52.0 in Chiquimula and $42.00 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 21% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Chiquimula, where all-in costs run around $807, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Chiquimula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiquimula – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Chiquimula. 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.