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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,134 in Chitila, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,743 in Chitila, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,353 in Chitila, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 15% more than Chitila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Chitila are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Chitila 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$13.22 RON 59.9

-9.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$61.7 RON 279

-23.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.55 RON 34.17

55.63%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.44 RON 15.56

19.77%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.81 RON 8.18

-22.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.29 RON 5.86

-29.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.18 RON 9.88

47.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.35 RON 15.15

111.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.66 RON 7.52

1.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.30 RON 5.88

65.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.74 RON 7.86

1.72%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$3.04 RON 13.77

-7.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$8.26 RON 37.40

11.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$5.81 RON 26.31

58.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$9.33 RON 42.26

35.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.27 RON 5.75

132.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.64 RON 7.41

-3.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.61 RON 7.31

37.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$2.66 RON 12.05

-11.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.81 RON 3.67

145.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.76 RON 3.43

160.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.93 RON 4.21

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.85 RON 3.85

42.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$6.80 RON 30.79

-32.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$6.44 RON 29.17

63.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.06 RON 4.80

59.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.73 RON 7.85

60.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.82 RON 3.72

-26.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$22.43 RON 102

32.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.68 RON 3.07

670.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.65 RON 2.92

461.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$6.61 RON 29.94

-12.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.88 RON 8.50

-18.09%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$29.4K RON 133.0K

-22.34%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$26.4K RON 119.8K

-2.39%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$173 RON 784

-47.62%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$8.65 RON 39.18

191.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$9.89 RON 44.77

221.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$40.47 RON 183

69.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$21.27 RON 96.3

38.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$7.04 RON 31.87

-30.97%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$585 RON 2,647

-61.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$7,158 RON 32.4K

-41.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$88.3 RON 400

-46.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$47.26 RON 214

-8.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$92.5 RON 419

-13.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$91.3 RON 413

0.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$400 RON 1,813

171.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$302 RON 1,366

35.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$622 RON 2,816

217.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$476 RON 2,157

169.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,895 RON 8,583

113.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,411 RON 6,392

375.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$870 RON 3,938

-11.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.82

67.89%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chitila: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $400 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 12% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $62.0 in Chitila. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $206 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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, $1,134 in Chitila – roughly 15% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,701 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $62.0 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,134 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 $1,134, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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 $1,134 in Chitila to $1,305 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.