Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cholpon-Ata Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cholpon-Ata

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $507 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $844 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,180 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 157% more than Cholpon-Ata, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Cholpon-Ata are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Cholpon-Ata 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$6.96 KGS 609

71.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$28.04 KGS 2,451

68.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$5.98 KGS 523

96.49%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.47 KGS 216

66.80%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.71 KGS 62.0

97.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.41 KGS 35.64

121.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.35 KGS 118

137.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.00 KGS 175

253.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.03 KGS 89.8

63.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.41 KGS 36.15

424.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.74 KGS 152

1.72%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.69 KGS 148

66.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$7.47 KGS 653

23.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.49 KGS 393

105.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$8.73 KGS 764

44.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.35 KGS 118

118.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.83 KGS 160

-13.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.08 KGS 182

6.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.55 KGS 136

52.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.59 KGS 51.5

237.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.51 KGS 44.86

288.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.75 KGS 65.3

65.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.60 KGS 52.9

101.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.10 KGS 184

119.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$9.38 KGS 820

12.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.43 KGS 125

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.03 KGS 177

36.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.24 KGS 21.03

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.83 KGS 72.7

531.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.48 KGS 41.96

660.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$5.81 KGS 508

-0.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.96 KGS 83.6

60.42%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$30.5K KGS 2.7M

-25.28%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$33.4K KGS 2.9M

-22.77%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$50.6 KGS 4,425

79.15%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$2.84 KGS 248

786.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$11.85 KGS 1,036

167.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$5.70 KGS 498

-14.74%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$221 KGS 19.3K

2.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$7,751 KGS 677.6K

-45.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$55.8 KGS 4,879

-15.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$42.51 KGS 3,717

2.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$89.6 KGS 7,835

-10.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$89.9 KGS 7,863

1.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

20.22

-43.37%

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 Cholpon-Ata: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Cholpon-Ata. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $176 – making Cholpon-Ata the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Cholpon-Ata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, $507 in Cholpon-Ata – roughly 157% 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 $761 in Cholpon-Ata. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $28.00 in Cholpon-Ata. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cholpon-Ata, where all-in costs run around $507, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Cholpon-Ata 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 $507 in Cholpon-Ata to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cholpon-Ata. 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.