Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cha-am Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cha-am

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $910 in Cha-am.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,464 in Cha-am.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,018 in Cha-am.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 43% more expensive than in Cha-am, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Cha-am 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$3.14 ฿104

280.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$21.86 ฿722

116.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.43 ฿246

58.14%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.10 ฿69.3

96.19%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.70 ฿23.15

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.32 ฿10.74

184.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.40 ฿79.1

33.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.97 ฿98.3

138.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.75 ฿57.7

-4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.50 ฿49.68

43.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.42 ฿46.88

24.65%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.88 ฿62.3

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$12.57 ฿415

-26.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$2.65 ฿87.5

248.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$10.51 ฿347

20.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.59 ฿119

-17.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.25 ฿41.24

26.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.92 ฿63.4

15.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.87 ฿61.7

26.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.79 ฿59.3

11.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.07 ฿35.46

85.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.19 ฿39.16

4.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.43 ฿14.11

181.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$4.39 ฿145

4.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$18.15 ฿600

-42.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.71 ฿56.6

-1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.08 ฿102

-10.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.89 ฿29.48

-32.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$22.37 ฿739

32.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.41 ฿46.46

271.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.15 ฿37.88

217.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$3.62 ฿120

59.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.41 ฿46.47

9.22%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$16.8K ฿556.3K

35.42%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$27.2K ฿899.9K

-5.23%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$84.2 ฿2,782

7.67%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$11.67 ฿386

115.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$23.03 ฿761

37.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$23.92 ฿790

187.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$6.15 ฿203

377.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$6.65 ฿220

-26.92%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$637 ฿21.1K

-64.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$10.9K ฿360.6K

-61.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$52.1 ฿1,722

-9.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$29.55 ฿976

47.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$72.2 ฿2,387

11.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$55.2 ฿1,825

65.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$387 ฿12.8K

180.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$276 ฿9,128

47.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$754 ฿24.9K

161.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$660 ฿21.8K

94.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$371 ฿12.3K

108.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.96

92.11%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Cha-am: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $387 in Cha-am. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 108% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $22.00 in Cha-am for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $239 per month, with Cha-am 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

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

Playa del Carmen and Cha-am differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($1,305 vs $910 including rent). Cha-am is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 108% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $387 in Cha-am. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $910 in Cha-am – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cha-am runs roughly 33% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $910 in Cha-am versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cha-am but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cha-am 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Cha-am are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cha-am gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.