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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,132 in Chihuahua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,725 in Chihuahua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,319 in Chihuahua, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 15% more than Chihuahua, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Chihuahua are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Chihuahua 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$10.72 MX$185

9.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$31.39 MX$543

32.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.91 MX$154

19.42%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.61 MX$62.5

-2.49%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.02 MX$17.65

48.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.86 MX$14.94

12.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.89 MX$32.67

56.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.50 MX$60.5

27.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.51 MX$26.16

-8.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$2.79 MX$48.20

-32.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.01 MX$34.83

-18.41%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.31 MX$39.88

8.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.30 MX$161

-10.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.10 MX$140

2.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.79 MX$204

-8.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.71 MX$46.84

-4.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.47 MX$25.36

-0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.95 MX$33.66

-2.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.92 MX$33.29

8.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.03 MX$35.11

-12.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.06 MX$35.67

6.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.28 MX$22.08

-18.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.09 MX$18.82

-0.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.10 MX$71.0

-0.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$10.91 MX$189

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.51 MX$26.14

13.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.71 MX$46.81

-4.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.61 MX$10.61

-16.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$32.04 MX$554

-17.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.66 MX$46.01

22.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.66 MX$11.41

277.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$9.64 MX$167

-66.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.24 MX$21.47

5.65%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$21.1K MX$365.2K

43.42%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$22.9K MX$396.7K

2.16%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$75.9 MX$1,314

9.13%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$22.90 MX$396

-2.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$23.61 MX$408

24.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$25.41 MX$439

103.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$28.22 MX$488

-35.08%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.17 MX$72.2

21.58%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$183 MX$3,173

9.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,760 MX$65.0K

38.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$55.7 MX$963

-33.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$40.02 MX$692

-0.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$105 MX$1,810

-25.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$76.3 MX$1,319

14.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$426 MX$7,362

128.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$362 MX$6,264

29.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$890 MX$15.4K

84.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$556 MX$9,625

119.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$3,663 MX$63.4K

7.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,180 MX$20.4K

450.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$897 MX$15.5K

-25.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.25

1.51%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chihuahua: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $426 in Chihuahua. 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 35% higher in Chihuahua, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $31.00 in Chihuahua. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $267 in Chihuahua – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Chihuahua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 15% more than Chihuahua, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,697 in Chihuahua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $183 in Chihuahua. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chihuahua, where all-in costs run around $1,132, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Chihuahua 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. Chihuahua costs $1,132 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Chihuahua. 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.