😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,163 in Chita.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,771 in Chita.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,379 in Chita.
😐Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 11% more expensive than Chita, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen4% lower, Chita13% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Chita
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$12.73₽956
-6.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$19.11₽1,436
123.70%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$5.12₽384
106.84%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$1.88₽141
92.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$0.55₽41.63
167.27%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.31₽23.65
203.23%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$1.24₽93.1
149.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$1.88₽142
137.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Chita
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.47₽111
-2.72%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$0.50₽37.51
276.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$1.87₽140
-12.83%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$1.93₽145
36.79%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$15.44₽1,160
-46.83%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$6.32₽474
31.17%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$12.51₽940
-11.27%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$2.72₽205
-2.57%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$2.60₽195
-42.31%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$2.56₽193
-22.27%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$1.86₽139
11.83%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$0.69₽51.6
159.42%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$0.52₽39.00
319.23%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$3.88₽291
-72.16%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.70₽52.9
48.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$2.86₽215
38.81%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$6.57₽494
55.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$0.77₽58.1
124.68%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$1.16₽87.5
115.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Chita
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$0.53₽39.49
-1.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
$25.49₽1,914
5.81%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$2.28₽171
37.72%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$0.56₽41.77
328.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$6.88₽516
-55.09%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$0.79₽59.7
60.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$32.1K₽2.4M
-3.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$18.9K₽1.4M
23.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Chita
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$121₽9,089
-32.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$6.63₽498
238.61%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$10.20₽766
190.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Chita
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$32.23₽2,421
60.94%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
$14.35₽1,078
30.10%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$6.44₽484
-22.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Chita
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$262₽19.7K
-24.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$7,092₽532.7K
-25.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Chita
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$63.0₽4,732
-42.32%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$50.4₽3,785
-20.52%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$77.4₽5,809
3.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$89.9₽6,754
-1.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Chita
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$628₽47.1K
53.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$451₽33.9K
3.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$1,137₽85.4K
40.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$821₽61.7K
47.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
$2,268₽170.3K
73.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
$1,643₽123.4K
292.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Chita
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
$661₽49.7K
8.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
20
-42.90%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Chita: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $628 in Chita. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Playa del Carmen pays 9% 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 $19.00 in Chita for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $245 per month, with Chita cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Chita: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and Chita?
Playa del Carmen and Chita differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $1,163 including rent). Chita is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Playa del Carmen or Chita?
Playa del Carmen pays 9% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Chita?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $628 in Chita. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Chita – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,163 in Chita versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chita but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Chita the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Chita?
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.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Chita?
Expats usually find Chita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado