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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $997 in Chita versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,564 in Chita versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,131 in Chita versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Chita costs roughly 21% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chita 27% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.77 ₽994

$11.60 MX$200

1.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.90 ₽3,118

$47.11 MX$812

-21.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.03 ₽510

$11.88 MX$205

-49.24%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ₽199

$3.98 MX$68.6

-40.95%

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

$1.26 ₽107

$1.43 MX$24.60

-11.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₽52.8

$0.82 MX$14.22

-23.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₽134

$3.19 MX$55.0

-50.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₽248

$6.79 MX$117

-56.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 ₽98.3

$1.68 MX$28.89

-30.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 ₽58.0

$2.20 MX$37.88

-68.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 ₽110

$1.71 MX$29.45

-23.98%

Eggs

$1.47 ₽124

$2.74 MX$47.26

-46.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.66 ₽985

$9.58 MX$165

21.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.06 ₽428

$9.01 MX$155

-43.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.54 ₽891

$12.81 MX$221

-17.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 ₽138

$2.89 MX$49.81

-43.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 ₽151

$1.50 MX$25.81

18.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₽158

$2.15 MX$37.03

-13.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.79 ₽236

$2.26 MX$38.96

23.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 ₽56.0

$1.98 MX$34.15

-66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ₽45.97

$1.99 MX$34.30

-72.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ₽122

$1.23 MX$21.28

17.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₽55.8

$1.20 MX$20.63

-45.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₽251

$4.55 MX$78.5

-34.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.27 ₽699

$10.37 MX$179

-20.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₽96.0

$1.62 MX$27.91

-29.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₽185

$2.88 MX$49.67

-23.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ₽39.55

$0.60 MX$10.35

-21.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 ₽198

$5.39 MX$92.9

-56.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₽26.92

$3.73 MX$64.3

-91.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 ₽505

$5.77 MX$99.5

3.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 ₽73.7

$1.54 MX$26.48

-43.51%

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

$30.2K ₽2.6M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

34.06%

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

$36.4K ₽3.1M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

39.63%

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

$119 ₽10.1K

$91.4 MX$1,576

30.24%

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

$5.94 ₽502

$25.20 MX$435

-76.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.29 ₽701

$31.24 MX$539

-73.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.02 ₽3,213

$67.2 MX$1,159

-43.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.27 ₽2,220

$29.11 MX$502

-9.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.71 ₽483

$4.86 MX$83.8

17.49%

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

$322 ₽27.2K

$224 MX$3,856

43.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,462 ₽546.0K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

52.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.3 ₽5,433

$47.10 MX$812

36.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 ₽4,444

$44.29 MX$764

18.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₽8,718

$80.1 MX$1,381

28.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₽9,193

$92.7 MX$1,598

17.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 ₽38.8K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-56.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 ₽26.9K

$390 MX$6,728

-18.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ₽69.7K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-61.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$578 ₽48.8K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-54.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,220 ₽187.6K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-44.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,471 ₽124.3K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-77.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 ₽35.5K

$758 MX$13.1K

-44.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

74.67%

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

Last update for Chita: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $460 in Chita and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 80% 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: $37.00 in Chita vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $276 per month, with Chita cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Chita and Playa del Carmen differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($997 vs $1,266 including rent). Chita is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 80% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $460 in Chita versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $997 per month in Chita versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $997 in Chita versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chita but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Chita 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 Chita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.