Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Xai-Xai Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Xai-Xai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $683 in Xai-Xai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,133 in Xai-Xai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,583 in Xai-Xai, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 85% more than Xai-Xai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Xai-Xai are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Xai-Xai 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$10.08 MZN 638

15.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$63.7 MZN 4,029

-26.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$7.42 MZN 469

60.11%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$2.17 MZN 137

83.41%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$0.87 MZN 55.0

64.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.67 MZN 42.69

22.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$1.54 MZN 97.6

107.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.34 MZN 148

190.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.60 MZN 101

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$1.03 MZN 65.3

113.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.65 MZN 104

3.64%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$2.49 MZN 157

10.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$20.69 MZN 1,308

-53.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.85 MZN 370

54.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$5.67 MZN 358

125.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$2.00 MZN 126

44.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$0.82 MZN 51.7

82.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$1.68 MZN 106

27.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$1.08 MZN 68.0

109.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$1.00 MZN 63.3

98.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$0.81 MZN 51.3

145.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$0.92 MZN 58.5

33.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.85 MZN 53.7

41.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$2.77 MZN 175

64.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$10.28 MZN 650

0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$0.98 MZN 62.0

65.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$1.34 MZN 84.9

114.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$1.52 MZN 96.2

254.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$1.15 MZN 72.7

224.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$24.95 MZN 1,578

-76.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.39 MZN 87.8

10.79%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$32.2K MZN 2.0M

-30.07%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$22.5K MZN 1.4M

15.96%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$71.3 MZN 4,508

28.22%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$7.61 MZN 482

231.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$86.7 MZN 5,481

-63.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$7.70 MZN 487

-36.88%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$131 MZN 8,278

70.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$5,141 MZN 325.2K

-17.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$49.88 MZN 3,155

-5.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$55.3 MZN 3,500

-19.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$78.4 MZN 4,956

2.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$79.5 MZN 5,028

16.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-54.20%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Xai-Xai: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $64.0 in Xai-Xai. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $225 in Xai-Xai – so Xai-Xai 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 Xai-Xai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 85%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,024 in Xai-Xai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $683 in Xai-Xai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $131 in Xai-Xai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Xai-Xai, where all-in costs run around $683, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Xai-Xai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Xai-Xai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Xai-Xai. 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.