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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Xai-Xai is about 45% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.28 MZN 587

$11.73 MX$203

-20.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.66 MZN 3,141

$41.62 MX$719

19.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 MZN 542

$10.64 MX$184

-19.55%

Cappuccino

$2.12 MZN 134

$3.52 MX$60.8

-39.77%

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

$0.77 MZN 48.77

$1.51 MX$26.09

-49.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 MZN 33.94

$0.97 MX$16.82

-44.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 MZN 85.6

$2.95 MX$51.0

-54.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MZN 96.0

$4.45 MX$77.0

-65.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 MZN 96.5

$1.38 MX$23.90

10.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MZN 69.1

$1.89 MX$32.69

-42.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 MZN 102

$1.64 MX$28.29

-1.22%

Eggs

$2.33 MZN 148

$2.51 MX$43.30

-7.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.24 MZN 964

$8.34 MX$144

82.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 MZN 323

$8.34 MX$144

-38.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 MZN 330

$10.73 MX$185

-51.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 MZN 122

$2.60 MX$45.00

-26.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 MZN 59.0

$1.46 MX$25.18

-36.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 MZN 85.9

$1.90 MX$32.84

-28.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 MZN 59.2

$2.08 MX$35.88

-54.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MZN 59.5

$1.78 MX$30.68

-47.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 MZN 45.79

$2.19 MX$37.76

-67.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MZN 57.8

$1.04 MX$17.97

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 MZN 47.31

$1.08 MX$18.60

-30.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 MZN 167

$4.08 MX$70.5

-35.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.97 MZN 567

$10.32 MX$178

-13.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 MZN 61.6

$1.71 MX$29.59

-43.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 MZN 91.2

$2.58 MX$44.50

-44.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 MZN 97.9

$3.26 MX$56.4

-52.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.90 MZN 183

$2.49 MX$43.05

16.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.50 MZN 1,550

$3.25 MX$56.1

653.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MZN 83.7

$1.31 MX$22.59

0.76%

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

$34.6K MZN 2.2M

$30.3K MX$523.2K

14.27%

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

$20.1K MZN 1.3M

$23.4K MX$404.9K

-14.01%

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

$91.2 MZN 5,770

$82.9 MX$1,432

10.09%

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

$14.36 MZN 908

$22.22 MX$384

-35.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$107 MZN 6,788

$29.34 MX$507

265.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$7.98 MZN 505

$5.07 MX$87.5

57.40%

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

$179 MZN 11.3K

$201 MX$3,470

-10.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,823 MZN 368.3K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

11.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.15 MZN 3,046

$36.92 MX$638

30.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.4 MZN 3,884

$39.79 MX$688

54.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.3 MZN 5,332

$78.5 MX$1,356

7.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 MZN 5,025

$87.1 MX$1,505

-8.78%

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 %)

24.33

11.42

113.05%

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

Last update for Xai-Xai: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Xai-Xai versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Xai-Xai vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – 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

Xai-Xai vs Playa del Carmen: 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 $1,075 per month in Xai-Xai and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $717 in Xai-Xai and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $179 per month in Xai-Xai and $201 in Playa del Carmen. 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.