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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $340 in Chingola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $580 in Chingola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $820 in Chingola.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 281% more expensive than Chingola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Chingola 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$12.64 ZMW 226

-7.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$20.63 ZMW 368

101.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.39 ZMW 6.99

287.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.30 ZMW 5.37

223.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$0.52 ZMW 9.23

467.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$1.03 ZMW 18.38

332.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.03 ZMW 18.41

33.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.83 ZMW 14.76

127.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.13 ZMW 38.01

-23.00%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.09 ZMW 19.39

130.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$2.02 ZMW 36.09

312.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$3.74 ZMW 66.8

186.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.62 ZMW 28.83

60.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.63 ZMW 29.17

-10.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.70 ZMW 30.39

11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.61 ZMW 28.77

29.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.43 ZMW 43.30

-26.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.20 ZMW 21.50

82.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.74 ZMW 13.13

45.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.26 ZMW 22.47

223.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$5.43 ZMW 97.0

90.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$0.51 ZMW 9.17

235.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$0.60 ZMW 10.63

330.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.44 ZMW 7.91

465.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$8.40 ZMW 150

-61.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.22 ZMW 21.77

7.38%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$42.04 ZMW 750

97.12%

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$8.23 ZMW 147

527.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$16.28 ZMW 291

126.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$10.28 ZMW 184

287.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$41.08 ZMW 733

90.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$62.3 ZMW 1,111

39.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$16.2K ZMW 289.3K

-59.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$121 ZMW 2,161

448.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Chingola: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 448% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $21.00 in Chingola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $119 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 281% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 448% more on average, 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 110% 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 $21.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $340 in Chingola versus $1,297 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 281% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.