🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,759 in Chambery.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,911 in Chambery.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,064 in Chambery.
🙂Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 28% less than in Chambery, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Chambery is 31% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Chambery
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87MX$207
$17.53€15.19
-32.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90MX$749
$74.0€64.2
-42.05%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.65MX$186
$12.93€11.21
-17.63%
Cappuccino
$3.45MX$60.2
$3.20€2.77
7.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50MX$26.24
$2.97€2.57
-49.49%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95MX$16.56
$1.77€1.53
-46.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$52.8
$6.53€5.66
-53.60%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61MX$80.4
$4.66€4.04
-1.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Chambery
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$24.01
$1.54€1.33
-10.39%
White Bread(500g)
$1.85MX$32.24
$1.77€1.54
4.52%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$28.11
$2.60€2.25
-38.08%
Eggs
$2.59MX$45.26
$4.24€3.67
-38.92%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.26MX$144
$24.30€21.06
-66.01%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.37MX$146
$16.21€14.05
-48.37%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.66MX$186
$25.56€22.15
-58.29%
Apples(1kg)
$2.63MX$45.89
$2.69€2.33
-2.23%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49MX$25.96
$2.53€2.20
-41.11%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.92MX$33.50
$3.46€3.00
-44.51%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$36.41
$3.92€3.40
-46.68%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$32.42
$2.87€2.49
-35.19%
Onion(1kg)
$2.26MX$39.47
$2.80€2.43
-19.29%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06MX$18.54
$1.41€1.22
-24.82%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.98
$0.91€0.79
19.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15MX$72.4
$11.58€10.04
-64.16%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.39MX$181
$8.19€7.10
26.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72MX$30.09
$3.11€2.69
-44.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$45.60
$3.13€2.71
-16.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Chambery
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.46
$4.67€4.05
-88.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.94MX$470
$70.9€61.4
-61.98%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$54.6
$5.65€4.90
-44.60%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.51MX$43.82
$1.86€1.61
34.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.15MX$55.0
$58.4€50.6
-94.60%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.25
$2.03€1.76
-37.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4KMX$530.1K
$37.7K€32.6K
-19.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6KMX$411.3K
$37.1K€32.2K
-36.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Chambery
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0MX$1,449
$128€111
-34.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71MX$396
$22.53€19.53
0.80%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46MX$514
$37.09€32.15
-20.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Chambery
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.0MX$890
$34.25€29.68
48.91%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33MX$320
$11.65€10.10
57.34%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93MX$86.0
$13.87€12.02
-64.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Chambery
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197MX$3,444
$746€646
-73.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,280MX$92.1K
$11.8K€10.2K
-55.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Chambery
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90MX$644
$109€94.9
-66.30%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89MX$696
$51.0€44.17
-21.74%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.0MX$1,396
$117€101
-31.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5MX$1,561
$163€141
-45.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Chambery
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$956MX$16.7K
$700€607
36.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$477MX$8,327
$511€443
-6.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,646MX$28.7K
$1,146€993
43.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,225MX$21.4K
$1,151€998
6.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,918MX$68.4K
$4,152€3,599
-5.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,459MX$112.7K
$4,290€3,718
50.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Chambery
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$667MX$11.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
3.76
203.72%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026
Last update for Chambery: June 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $700 in Chambery. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $74.0 in Chambery for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $422 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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 Chambery: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chambery cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,906 in Playa del Carmen and $2,638 in Chambery to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Chambery?
Rent for a central apartment: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $700 in Chambery. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 163% less than in Chambery. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $746 in Chambery. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Chambery?
At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,759 in Chambery, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Chambery. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Playa del Carmen or Chambery more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chambery, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Chambery?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Chambery are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Chambery. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared