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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $717 in Xai-Xai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,132 in Xai-Xai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,548 in Xai-Xai, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 81% more than Xai-Xai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Playa del Carmen and Xai-Xai are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Xai-Xai 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$9.28 MZN 587

26.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$49.66 MZN 3,141

-16.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.56 MZN 542

24.30%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$2.12 MZN 134

66.04%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$0.77 MZN 48.77

96.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$0.54 MZN 33.94

79.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.35 MZN 85.6

118.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$1.52 MZN 96.0

192.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$1.53 MZN 96.5

-9.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$1.09 MZN 69.1

73.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$1.62 MZN 102

1.23%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$2.33 MZN 148

7.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$15.24 MZN 964

-45.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.11 MZN 323

63.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$5.22 MZN 330

105.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$1.92 MZN 122

35.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$0.93 MZN 59.0

56.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$1.36 MZN 85.9

39.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$0.94 MZN 59.2

121.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$0.94 MZN 59.5

89.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$0.72 MZN 45.79

204.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$0.91 MZN 57.8

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.75 MZN 47.31

44.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$2.65 MZN 167

53.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$8.97 MZN 567

15.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$0.97 MZN 61.6

76.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$1.44 MZN 91.2

79.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.55 MZN 97.9

110.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$2.90 MZN 183

-14.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$24.50 MZN 1,550

-86.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$1.32 MZN 83.7

-0.76%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$34.6K MZN 2.2M

-12.49%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$20.1K MZN 1.3M

16.29%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$91.2 MZN 5,770

-9.16%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$14.36 MZN 908

54.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$107 MZN 6,788

-72.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$7.98 MZN 505

-36.47%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$179 MZN 11.3K

12.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$5,823 MZN 368.3K

-10.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$48.15 MZN 3,046

-23.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$61.4 MZN 3,884

-35.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$84.3 MZN 5,332

-6.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$79.4 MZN 5,025

9.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

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$68.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

24.33

-53.06%

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 Xai-Xai: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $50.0 in Xai-Xai. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $197 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 81%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,075 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $717 in Xai-Xai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $179 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 $717, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.