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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $455 in Chingola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $776 in Chingola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,097 in Chingola.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 185% more expensive than in Chingola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Chingola 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$16.07 ZMW 307

-27.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$25.85 ZMW 494

80.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.54 ZMW 10.37

153.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.38 ZMW 7.30

118.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$0.65 ZMW 12.35

415.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$1.30 ZMW 24.90

431.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$1.88 ZMW 35.94

-7.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$1.28 ZMW 24.37

76.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$2.58 ZMW 49.35

-31.40%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$1.93 ZMW 36.95

41.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$5.16 ZMW 98.5

72.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$4.85 ZMW 92.7

159.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$2.08 ZMW 39.72

45.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$2.15 ZMW 40.98

-26.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$2.07 ZMW 39.60

2.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$2.15 ZMW 41.11

5.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$3.13 ZMW 59.8

-36.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$1.59 ZMW 30.44

29.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.88 ZMW 16.85

36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$1.54 ZMW 29.42

200.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$5.34 ZMW 102

100.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$0.65 ZMW 12.49

149.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$0.81 ZMW 15.56

255.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.60 ZMW 11.45

516.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$10.57 ZMW 202

-43.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.41 ZMW 26.96

9.93%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$53.4 ZMW 1,020

66.94%

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

$25.04 MX$423

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$10.59 ZMW 202

540.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

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

$225 MX$3,803

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$21.26 ZMW 406

123.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$13.00 ZMW 248

246.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$53.4 ZMW 1,020

53.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$79.5 ZMW 1,518

15.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$15.7K ZMW 299.0K

-57.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$115 ZMW 2,192

552.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chingola: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 552% 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 $26.00 in Chingola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $171 per month, with Chingola 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 Chingola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chingola is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 185% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 552% 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 62% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chingola – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $455 in Chingola versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Chingola but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Chingola the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chingola is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Chingola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 185% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.