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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $630 in Chinhoyi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,001 in Chinhoyi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,373 in Chinhoyi.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 101% more expensive than in Chinhoyi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Chinhoyi 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

491.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$39.98 ZWL 1,065

17.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$4.43 ZWL 118

168.17%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$0.99 ZWL 26.27

302.02%

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

$1.43 MX$24.58

$0.35 ZWL 9.21

308.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.24 ZWL 6.39

241.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$0.98 ZWL 26.17

225.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.02 ZWL 53.8

236.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.86

$1.47 ZWL 39.18

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.84

$0.86 ZWL 22.97

155.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.42

$1.63 ZWL 43.35

4.91%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.21

$1.94 ZWL 51.7

41.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$12.13 ZWL 323

-21.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$2.98 ZWL 79.4

202.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$4.05 ZWL 108

216.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.75

$1.02 ZWL 27.16

183.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.79

$0.97 ZWL 25.96

54.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.00

$0.97 ZWL 25.96

121.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.92

$0.99 ZWL 26.31

128.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.11

$0.97 ZWL 25.97

104.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.27

$0.97 ZWL 25.96

105.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.26

$0.49 ZWL 12.98

151.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.61

$0.77 ZWL 20.44

55.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.4

$1.99 ZWL 53.0

128.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$7.01 ZWL 187

47.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$0.52 ZWL 13.90

211.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.61

$0.98 ZWL 26.13

193.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.98 ZWL 26.14

-38.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$30.47 ZWL 812

-5.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$3.91 ZWL 104

37.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$2.04 ZWL 54.4

82.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.4

$5.02 ZWL 134

14.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.46

$1.40 ZWL 37.34

10.00%

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

$22.5K MX$388.4K

$22.2K ZWL 591.3K

1.62%

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

$26.1K MX$448.8K

$27.1K ZWL 723.0K

-3.95%

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

$91.4 MX$1,574

$40.57 ZWL 1,081

125.24%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$19.88 ZWL 530

26.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$68.1 ZWL 1,815

-54.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,158

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$10.09 ZWL 269

-51.83%

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

$224 MX$3,852

$457 ZWL 12.2K

-51.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$8,890 ZWL 236.9K

-52.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$24.34 ZWL 649

93.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$21.44 ZWL 571

106.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,380

$39.49 ZWL 1,053

102.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$42.30 ZWL 1,127

119.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,721

$180 ZWL 4,808

116.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$296 ZWL 7,895

329.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$198 ZWL 5,280

282.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

13.69

-16.36%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chinhoyi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 283% 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 $40.00 in Chinhoyi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $155 per month, with Chinhoyi 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 Chinhoyi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Chinhoyi differ by about 101% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $630 including rent). Chinhoyi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 283% 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.

Dining out is cheaper in Chinhoyi – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $630 in Chinhoyi – a 101% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $630 in Chinhoyi versus $1,266 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 101% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.