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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $666 in Chinhoyi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,032 in Chinhoyi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,399 in Chinhoyi.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 89% more expensive than in Chinhoyi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Chinhoyi 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$1.99 ZWL 53.0

488.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$49.88 ZWL 1,331

-16.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$4.47 ZWL 119

135.12%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.02 ZWL 27.24

251.96%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.34 ZWL 9.10

344.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.24 ZWL 6.38

283.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$0.99 ZWL 26.40

198.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.98 ZWL 52.8

122.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.51 ZWL 40.36

-7.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.81 ZWL 21.53

132.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.63 ZWL 43.57

-4.29%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.11 ZWL 56.2

23.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$11.03 ZWL 294

-24.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$2.95 ZWL 78.7

183.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$4.03 ZWL 108

169.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$0.97 ZWL 25.96

179.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.03 ZWL 27.43

46.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.03 ZWL 27.42

81.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.03 ZWL 27.42

112.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.97 ZWL 26.01

91.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.03 ZWL 27.38

116.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.51 ZWL 13.67

109.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.78 ZWL 20.69

39.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$1.07 ZWL 28.62

291.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$6.82 ZWL 182

52.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$0.48 ZWL 12.85

245.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.03 ZWL 27.39

153.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.99 ZWL 26.31

-45.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$29.74 ZWL 793

-12.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$4.02 ZWL 107

-23.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$2.02 ZWL 53.9

18.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$5.05 ZWL 135

-38.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.39 ZWL 36.97

-5.76%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$20.3K ZWL 540.4K

47.16%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$22.9K ZWL 612.0K

1.68%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$40.57 ZWL 1,082

100.35%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$17.94 ZWL 479

25.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$90.1 ZWL 2,402

-66.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$10.20 ZWL 272

-51.76%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$280 ZWL 7,459

-28.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$7,365 ZWL 196.5K

-29.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$19.40 ZWL 518

85.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$21.35 ZWL 570

87.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$34.29 ZWL 915

132.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$39.83 ZWL 1,063

117.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$178 ZWL 4,760

163.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$302 ZWL 8,058

298.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$201 ZWL 5,363

236.63%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chinhoyi: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 237% 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 $50.0 in Chinhoyi. Groceries flip the comparison at $252 vs $153, 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 89% in total monthly costs ($1,260 vs $666 including rent). Chinhoyi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 237% 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 $50.0 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $666 in Chinhoyi – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $666 in Chinhoyi versus $1,260 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 89% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.