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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $752 in Chone.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,214 in Chone.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,675 in Chone.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 72% more expensive than in Chone, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Chone 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$3.61 $3.61

224.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$28.05 $28.05

66.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$6.03 $6.03

93.20%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$2.49 $2.49

64.26%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.71 $0.71

92.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.73 $0.73

13.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$1.80 $1.80

86.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$2.67 $2.67

158.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$1.09 $1.09

58.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$1.79 $1.79

26.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$1.52 $1.52

16.45%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$2.33 $2.33

17.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$4.71 $4.71

94.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$5.20 $5.20

71.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$7.85 $7.85

60.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$1.56 $1.56

93.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$1.12 $1.12

40.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$1.26 $1.26

69.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$0.97 $0.97

132.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$1.38 $1.38

44.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$1.04 $1.04

98.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.76 $0.76

55.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$1.04 $1.04

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$5.85 $5.85

-20.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$9.48 $9.48

12.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$1.49 $1.49

8.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$3.44 $3.44

-16.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.37 $0.37

54.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$19.66 $19.66

51.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$1.10 $1.10

395.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$1.22 $1.22

203.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$9.71 $9.71

-38.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$0.75 $0.75

106.67%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$22.7K $22.7K

-1.68%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$31.8K $31.8K

-18.50%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$34.49 $34.49

158.42%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$12.69 $12.69

97.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$23.02 $23.02

36.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$30.57 $30.57

121.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$16.20 $16.20

78.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$7.76 $7.76

-34.92%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$227 $227

-1.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$5,642 $5,642

-25.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$55.1 $55.1

-13.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$46.34 $46.34

-2.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$111 $111

-26.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$82.9 $82.9

11.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$294 $294

263.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$163 $163

148.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$579 $579

234.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$358 $358

263.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$1,294 $1,294

208.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$756 $756

776.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.05

13.93%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chone: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $294 in Chone. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $28.00 in Chone for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $187 per month, with Chone cheaper across the board.

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 Chone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chone wins on cost – living expenses run 72% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chone the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,940 in Playa del Carmen and $1,128 in Chone to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $294 in Chone. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $752 in Chone – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chone runs roughly 52% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $752 in Chone versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chone but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Chone the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chone delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $752 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chone hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Chone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.