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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $657 in Chinhoyi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,026 in Chinhoyi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,396 in Chinhoyi.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 96% more expensive than Chinhoyi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Chinhoyi 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$2.06 ZWL 52.1

479.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$51.0 ZWL 1,289

-16.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$4.40 ZWL 111

140.68%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$0.99 ZWL 25.00

265.66%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.34 ZWL 8.60

332.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.24 ZWL 6.03

291.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$1.02 ZWL 25.73

202.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$1.95 ZWL 49.27

128.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.47 ZWL 37.19

-2.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$0.82 ZWL 20.81

129.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.66 ZWL 42.06

-1.81%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$2.15 ZWL 54.3

22.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$10.78 ZWL 273

-23.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$2.92 ZWL 73.8

183.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$4.10 ZWL 104

170.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$0.98 ZWL 24.78

170.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.02 ZWL 25.91

47.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$0.97 ZWL 24.55

105.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$0.98 ZWL 24.71

112.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$1.02 ZWL 25.87

75.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$0.97 ZWL 24.55

124.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$0.52 ZWL 13.10

107.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.77 ZWL 19.56

35.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$1.13 ZWL 28.62

251.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$6.92 ZWL 175

47.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$0.48 ZWL 12.03

260.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$1.02 ZWL 25.69

145.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.97 ZWL 24.57

-46.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

$29.76 ZWL 753

-9.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$4.07 ZWL 103

-22.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$2.02 ZWL 51.2

18.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$5.03 ZWL 127

-38.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.43 ZWL 36.24

-11.19%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$20.2K ZWL 511.5K

52.70%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$23.8K ZWL 602.2K

-2.09%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$40.71 ZWL 1,029

101.45%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$17.57 ZWL 444

27.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$89.4 ZWL 2,260

-66.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$10.19 ZWL 258

-51.23%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$279 ZWL 7,060

-29.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$7,438 ZWL 188.1K

-29.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$19.75 ZWL 500

84.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$20.96 ZWL 530

91.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$34.06 ZWL 861

134.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$40.40 ZWL 1,022

120.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$183 ZWL 4,638

153.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$300 ZWL 7,594

302.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$201 ZWL 5,078

258.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.31

-14.20%

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 Chinhoyi: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 259% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $51.0 in Chinhoyi. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $152, with Chinhoyi cheaper for home cooking.

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 Chinhoyi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Chinhoyi differ by about 96% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $657 including rent). Chinhoyi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 259% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Dining out is cheaper in Chinhoyi – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $657 in Chinhoyi – a 96% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $657 in Chinhoyi versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chinhoyi but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Chinhoyi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Chinhoyi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.