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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,137 in Chitila, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,802 in Chitila, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,468 in Chitila, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 11% more than Chitila, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Chitila are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Chitila 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$13.79 RON 63.0

-15.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$67.9 RON 310

-38.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$8.24 RON 37.64

27.55%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$3.35 RON 15.29

7.16%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$1.89 RON 8.65

-20.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$1.30 RON 5.95

-29.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$2.26 RON 10.33

30.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$3.27 RON 14.95

34.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.77 RON 8.07

-20.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.25 RON 5.71

50.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.92 RON 8.76

-18.75%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$3.31 RON 15.11

-21.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$9.60 RON 43.83

-13.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$6.60 RON 30.12

26.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$11.80 RON 53.9

-7.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$1.34 RON 6.12

102.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.78 RON 8.13

-15.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.77 RON 8.06

5.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$2.51 RON 11.44

-12.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.04 RON 4.74

78.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.00 RON 4.58

123.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.98 RON 4.48

9.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.87 RON 3.98

25.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$6.53 RON 29.80

-35.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$6.55 RON 29.92

59.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.10 RON 5.02

50.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$1.87 RON 8.52

39.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.66 RON 3.00

-18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$19.61 RON 89.6

33.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.66 RON 3.00

366.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.65 RON 2.98

269.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$6.80 RON 31.04

-53.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.72 RON 7.85

-23.84%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$27.9K RON 127.4K

6.87%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$28.1K RON 128.4K

-17.06%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$184 RON 840

-55.83%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$8.76 RON 39.98

157.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$11.38 RON 52.0

164.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$41.60 RON 190

27.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$19.25 RON 87.9

-4.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$8.02 RON 36.60

-38.65%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$544 RON 2,482

-63.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$8,226 RON 37.6K

-37.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$80.9 RON 369

-55.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$66.4 RON 303

-39.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$91.4 RON 417

-12.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$92.6 RON 423

-6.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$393 RON 1,794

148.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$293 RON 1,336

60.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$595 RON 2,718

177.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$435 RON 1,989

176.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$1,968 RON 8,987

100.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$1,391 RON 6,350

375.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$884 RON 4,038

-23.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.78

68.44%

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 Chitila: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $393 in Chitila. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 31% higher in Chitila, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $68.0 in Chitila. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $227 in Chitila – so Chitila wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Chitila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $1,137 in Chitila – roughly 11% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,706 in Chitila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chitila, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $68.0 in Chitila. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,137 in Chitila. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chitila, where all-in costs run around $1,137, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Chitila it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,137 in Chitila to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chitila. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.