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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,089 in Chaves, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,663 in Chaves, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,237 in Chaves, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 16% more than Chaves, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Chaves are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Chaves 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$8.07 €7.04

43.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$22.97 €20.03

105.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.99 €6.96

48.69%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.66 €1.44

139.76%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.49 €1.30

-4.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.60 €0.52

36.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.36 €2.06

35.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.80 €2.44

142.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.02 €0.89

64.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.17 €1.02

88.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.14 €1.00

50.00%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$3.17 €2.77

-13.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$6.38 €5.57

50.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.62 €5.77

36.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$10.65 €9.28

20.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.15 €1.00

151.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.13 €0.98

32.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.18 €1.02

82.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.13 €0.98

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.10 €1.83

-5.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.13 €0.99

76.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.47 €1.28

-16.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.82 €0.72

46.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$6.16 €5.37

-26.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$4.02 €3.51

157.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.14 €0.99

42.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.14 €1.00

152.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.94 €0.82

-36.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$28.68 €25.00

0.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$3.94 €3.44

36.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.71 €0.62

425.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$20.06 €17.49

-71.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$2.08 €1.81

-25.96%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$35.2K €30.7K

-35.93%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$40.0K €34.9K

-34.86%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$140 €122

-34.55%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$18.60 €16.22

35.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$33.18 €28.92

-5.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$26.32 €22.95

155.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$5.84 €5.09

398.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$7.48 €6.52

-35.03%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$231 €202

-3.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$3,759 €3,277

12.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$75.2 €65.6

-37.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$23.26 €20.27

90.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$66.6 €58.0

20.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$91.4 €79.6

1.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$496 €433

114.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$389 €339

0.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$983 €857

118.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$773 €674

64.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,977 €1,723

102.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,479 €1,289

339.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,037 €904

-26.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

281.67%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chaves: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $496 in Chaves. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 37% higher in Chaves, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $23.00 in Chaves. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $187 – making Chaves 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 16% more than Chaves, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,634 in Chaves. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chaves, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 0% less in Chaves. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $231 in Chaves. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chaves, where all-in costs run around $1,089, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Chaves it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chaves costs $1,089 versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chaves. 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.