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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,330 in Playa del Carmen versus $570 in Chirchiq.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,336 in Playa del Carmen versus $939 in Chirchiq.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,341 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,307 in Chirchiq.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 133% more expensive than in Chirchiq, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Chirchiq 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$6.85 UZS 81.2K

90.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$33.85 UZS 400.8K

36.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$4.99 UZS 59.1K

152.30%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$2.52 UZS 29.9K

58.73%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$0.69 UZS 8,182

105.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.29 UZS 3,479

179.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$1.50 UZS 17.8K

103.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$3.42 UZS 40.5K

99.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.22 UZS 14.5K

40.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$0.77 UZS 9,157

188.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$1.70 UZS 20.2K

1.18%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$1.85 UZS 21.9K

46.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$8.41 UZS 99.6K

11.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$4.38 UZS 51.8K

102.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$12.73 UZS 150.8K

0.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$1.47 UZS 17.4K

112.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$1.80 UZS 21.3K

-13.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$2.52 UZS 29.9K

-14.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$1.70 UZS 20.2K

38.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$0.60 UZS 7,092

236.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$0.41 UZS 4,873

385.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$1.10 UZS 13.0K

12.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.46 UZS 5,443

158.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$1.97 UZS 23.3K

136.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$6.68 UZS 79.1K

56.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$1.34 UZS 15.9K

17.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$3.52 UZS 41.7K

-17.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$0.80 UZS 9,521

565.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$0.34 UZS 3,977

994.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$3.18 UZS 37.6K

81.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.15 UZS 13.7K

34.78%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$17.7K UZS 210.0M

26.16%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$24.2K UZS 286.1M

5.85%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$65.7 UZS 778.4K

35.83%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$4.41 UZS 52.2K

428.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$12.60 UZS 149.2K

151.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$5.80 UZS 68.7K

-12.76%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$330 UZS 3.9M

-32.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$9,554 UZS 113.1M

-55.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$51.5 UZS 610.3K

-10.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$61.7 UZS 730.4K

-27.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$107 UZS 1.3M

-10.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$132 UZS 1.6M

-30.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

23.31

-50.24%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Chirchiq: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $46.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $34.00 in Chirchiq for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $196 per month, with Chirchiq 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 Chirchiq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chirchiq is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 133% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,995 in Playa del Carmen and $855 in Chirchiq to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $222 in Playa del Carmen versus $330 in Chirchiq. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chirchiq – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $570 in Chirchiq versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Chirchiq but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Chirchiq the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chirchiq 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 Chirchiq gentler on the wallet – expenses run 133% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.