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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $338 in Chingola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $579 in Chingola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $821 in Chingola.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 272% more expensive than in Chingola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Chingola 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$12.20 ZMW 222

-1.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$21.15 ZMW 385

97.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.40 ZMW 7.22

262.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.30 ZMW 5.48

193.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$0.48 ZMW 8.66

514.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.02 ZMW 18.50

342.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.00 ZMW 18.12

43.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.82 ZMW 14.89

124.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.11 ZMW 38.40

-25.59%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.14 ZMW 20.66

120.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$2.04 ZMW 37.20

313.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$3.65 ZMW 66.4

192.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.68 ZMW 30.53

55.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.67 ZMW 30.45

-13.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.64 ZMW 29.94

19.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.69 ZMW 30.79

23.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.53 ZMW 46.04

-26.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.22 ZMW 22.21

77.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.69 ZMW 12.50

55.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.27 ZMW 23.05

222.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$5.66 ZMW 103

79.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.48 ZMW 8.81

250.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$0.60 ZMW 10.95

321.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.45 ZMW 8.17

435.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$8.31 ZMW 151

-61.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.22 ZMW 22.13

8.20%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$42.20 ZMW 768

94.34%

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

$22.95 MX$400

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$8.08 ZMW 147

543.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

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

$197 MX$3,438

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$16.57 ZMW 302

114.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$10.28 ZMW 187

292.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$40.97 ZMW 746

92.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$62.6 ZMW 1,139

42.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$16.9K ZMW 306.9K

-61.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$120 ZMW 2,183

445.27%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chingola: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 445% 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 272% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 445% 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 109% 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 $338 in Chingola versus $1,256 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 272% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.