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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $456 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $765 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,074 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 184% more than Cholpon-Ata, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Cholpon-Ata are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Cholpon-Ata 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.21 KGS 543

88.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$21.41 KGS 1,871

94.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.81 KGS 508

83.13%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.08 KGS 182

69.23%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.63 KGS 55.5

139.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.35 KGS 30.94

177.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.18 KGS 103

150.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$1.74 KGS 152

155.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.95 KGS 83.1

45.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.48 KGS 41.92

293.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.54 KGS 135

6.49%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.76 KGS 154

42.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.30 KGS 726

0.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.98 KGS 436

67.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.12 KGS 710

32.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.08 KGS 94.4

140.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.90 KGS 166

-23.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.09 KGS 183

-9.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.65 KGS 144

26.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.55 KGS 47.93

223.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.50 KGS 43.62

338.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.55 KGS 48.01

89.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.51 KGS 44.30

111.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.69 KGS 148

141.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$8.22 KGS 719

25.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.19 KGS 104

43.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.95 KGS 170

32.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.39 KGS 122

134.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.22 KGS 19.15

1031.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$3.34 KGS 292

-2.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.85 KGS 74.4

54.12%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$37.3K KGS 3.3M

-18.71%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$33.5K KGS 2.9M

-30.15%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$34.45 KGS 3,012

140.55%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$7.07 KGS 618

214.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$11.74 KGS 1,027

149.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.54 KGS 397

11.67%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$197 KGS 17.2K

2.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,509 KGS 394.2K

15.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$37.44 KGS 3,273

-1.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$39.57 KGS 3,459

0.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$96.3 KGS 8,420

-18.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$103 KGS 8,989

-15.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

20.11

-43.21%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cholpon-Ata: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Cholpon-Ata. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $172 – 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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $456 in Cholpon-Ata – roughly 184% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $684 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $21.00 in Cholpon-Ata. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% 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 $456, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $456 in Cholpon-Ata to $1,297 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.