😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,160 in Chilpancingo De Los Bravo.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,869 in Chilpancingo De Los Bravo.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,579 in Chilpancingo De Los Bravo.
😐Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 11% more expensive than Chilpancingo De Los Bravo, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen4% lower, Chilpancingo De Los Bravo13% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Chilpancingo De Los Bravo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$12.35MX$216
-3.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$52.0MX$910
-17.77%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$8.08MX$141
31.06%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$3.17MX$55.4
14.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$1.24MX$21.66
18.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.89MX$15.64
5.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$2.66MX$46.52
16.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$3.42MX$59.9
30.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Chilpancingo De Los Bravo
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.50MX$26.29
-4.67%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$3.02MX$52.8
-37.75%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$1.54MX$27.04
5.84%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$2.93MX$51.3
-9.90%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$7.05MX$123
16.45%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$6.55MX$115
26.56%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$10.99MX$192
1.00%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$2.55MX$44.54
3.92%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$1.38MX$24.10
8.70%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$1.65MX$28.82
20.61%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$1.85MX$32.31
12.43%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$2.09MX$36.65
-14.35%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$1.87MX$32.74
16.58%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$1.24MX$21.68
-12.90%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$1.22MX$21.26
-14.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$4.59MX$80.4
-13.51%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$14.23MX$249
-28.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$1.36MX$23.89
27.21%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$2.71MX$47.46
-7.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Chilpancingo De Los Bravo
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$0.66MX$11.51
-21.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$2.62MX$45.83
19.85%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$0.28MX$4.83
757.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$10.53MX$184
-70.66%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$1.30MX$22.71
-2.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$22.1KMX$386.0K
40.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$23.7KMX$415.4K
-1.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Chilpancingo De Los Bravo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$67.1MX$1,173
22.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$21.87MX$383
2.65%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$24.71MX$432
20.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Chilpancingo De Los Bravo
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$36.14MX$632
43.53%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
$15.60MX$273
19.68%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$5.27MX$92.2
-5.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Chilpancingo De Los Bravo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$375MX$6,558
-47.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$3,618MX$63.3K
45.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Chilpancingo De Los Bravo
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$54.3MX$951
-33.11%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$59.2MX$1,036
-32.34%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$111MX$1,949
-28.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$101MX$1,774
-12.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Chilpancingo De Los Bravo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$509MX$8,913
89.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$396MX$6,924
17.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$928MX$16.2K
72.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$762MX$13.3K
58.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
$2,275MX$39.8K
73.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
$1,155MX$20.2K
458.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Chilpancingo De Los Bravo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
-
-
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: April 25, 2026
Last update for Chilpancingo De Los Bravo: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $509 in Chilpancingo De Los Bravo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $52.0 in Chilpancingo De Los Bravo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $257 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 Chilpancingo De Los Bravo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and Chilpancingo De Los Bravo?
Playa del Carmen and Chilpancingo De Los Bravo differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $1,160 including rent). Chilpancingo De Los Bravo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Chilpancingo De Los Bravo?
You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $1,740 in Chilpancingo De Los Bravo 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Chilpancingo De Los Bravo?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $509 in Chilpancingo De Los Bravo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more expensive overall: Playa del Carmen or Chilpancingo De Los Bravo?
All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,160 in Chilpancingo De Los Bravo – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,160 in Chilpancingo De Los Bravo versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chilpancingo De Los Bravo but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Chilpancingo De Los Bravo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Chilpancingo De Los Bravo?
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.
Is Playa del Carmen or Chilpancingo De Los Bravo safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Chilpancingo De Los Bravo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Chilpancingo De Los Bravo?
Expats usually find Chilpancingo De Los Bravo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Playa del Carmen. 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