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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $552 in Chirchiq.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $888 in Chirchiq.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,224 in Chirchiq.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 130% more expensive than Chirchiq, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Chirchiq 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$2.95 UZS 35.3K

302.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$20.80 UZS 249.1K

106.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$2.96 UZS 35.4K

259.80%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.85 UZS 22.2K

86.49%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.58 UZS 6,964

158.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.25 UZS 2,969

280.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.02 UZS 12.2K

197.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$1.99 UZS 23.8K

131.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.02 UZS 12.2K

35.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.41 UZS 4,915

351.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.01 UZS 12.1K

59.41%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.23 UZS 14.8K

110.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$4.90 UZS 58.6K

68.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.76 UZS 45.1K

122.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$8.34 UZS 99.9K

27.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.02 UZS 12.3K

157.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.74 UZS 20.9K

-14.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.15 UZS 25.7K

-10.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.02 UZS 12.2K

104.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.47 UZS 5,656

295.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.34 UZS 4,111

564.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.57 UZS 6,886

85.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.40 UZS 4,803

172.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$1.97 UZS 23.6K

110.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$6.61 UZS 79.1K

57.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.98 UZS 11.8K

75.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.92 UZS 34.9K

-10.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.17 UZS 2,040

217.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$5.13 UZS 61.5K

425.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.82 UZS 9,841

281.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.31 UZS 3,717

709.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$3.48 UZS 41.7K

-9.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.73 UZS 8,748

73.97%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$20.2K UZS 242.3M

50.16%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$25.2K UZS 301.9M

-6.51%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$20.34 UZS 243.6K

308.06%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$3.66 UZS 43.8K

520.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$11.86 UZS 142.0K

148.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$15.11 UZS 181.0K

237.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$15.21 UZS 182.2K

20.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$4.89 UZS 58.5K

0.82%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$293 UZS 3.5M

-32.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$9,063 UZS 108.5M

-41.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$30.22 UZS 362.0K

22.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$48.91 UZS 585.7K

-18.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$100 UZS 1.2M

-20.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$102 UZS 1.2M

-12.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$216 UZS 2.6M

343.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$150 UZS 1.8M

217.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$298 UZS 3.6M

451.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$247 UZS 3.0M

394.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

22.07

-48.26%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chirchiq: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $216 in Chirchiq. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $21.00 in Chirchiq for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $144 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 130% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,906 in Playa del Carmen and $828 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $216 in Chirchiq. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chirchiq runs roughly 425% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $293 in Chirchiq. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $552 in Chirchiq versus $1,271 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 130% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.