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 $708 per month in Xai-Xai vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,119 per month in Xai-Xai vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,531 per month in Xai-Xai vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Xai-Xai is about 44% 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 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.13 MZN 577

$11.99 MX$209

-23.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.45 MZN 3,126

$41.78 MX$728

18.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 MZN 525

$10.75 MX$187

-22.70%

Cappuccino

$2.05 MZN 129

$3.50 MX$60.9

-41.43%

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

$0.75 MZN 47.60

$1.45 MX$25.22

-48.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 MZN 36.96

$0.88 MX$15.41

-34.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 MZN 85.8

$2.95 MX$51.3

-53.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MZN 96.0

$4.51 MX$78.6

-66.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 MZN 95.7

$1.43 MX$24.94

5.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MZN 66.9

$1.84 MX$31.99

-42.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MZN 103

$1.57 MX$27.31

4.46%

Eggs

$2.38 MZN 150

$2.51 MX$43.74

-5.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.01 MZN 949

$8.28 MX$144

81.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.23 MZN 331

$8.43 MX$147

-37.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.42 MZN 343

$10.68 MX$186

-49.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 MZN 124

$2.61 MX$45.43

-24.52%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 MZN 55.8

$1.44 MX$25.04

-38.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 MZN 88.9

$1.96 MX$34.16

-28.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 MZN 58.8

$2.09 MX$36.47

-55.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 MZN 60.0

$1.85 MX$32.24

-48.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 MZN 42.77

$2.17 MX$37.74

-68.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MZN 56.9

$1.03 MX$17.96

-12.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 MZN 46.33

$1.07 MX$18.70

-31.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 MZN 166

$4.10 MX$71.4

-36.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.83 MZN 558

$10.17 MX$177

-13.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MZN 64.4

$1.68 MX$29.17

-39.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MZN 90.6

$2.53 MX$43.98

-43.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 MZN 101

$3.23 MX$56.3

-50.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.92 MZN 185

$2.41 MX$41.88

21.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.28 MZN 1,535

$3.23 MX$56.2

651.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MZN 82.8

$1.32 MX$23.00

-0.76%

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

$35.7K MZN 2.3M

$29.7K MX$517.1K

20.24%

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

$20.3K MZN 1.3M

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-14.13%

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

$91.2 MZN 5,763

$82.0 MX$1,428

11.14%

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

$14.49 MZN 916

$22.95 MX$400

-36.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$106 MZN 6,684

$30.11 MX$524

251.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$7.94 MZN 502

$4.98 MX$86.6

59.44%

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

$178 MZN 11.3K

$197 MX$3,438

-9.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,805 MZN 367.0K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

8.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.82 MZN 3,150

$35.60 MX$620

39.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 MZN 3,959

$40.33 MX$702

55.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 MZN 5,245

$78.8 MX$1,371

5.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 MZN 5,019

$88.9 MX$1,549

-10.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 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 77%, 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 $1,062 per month in Xai-Xai and $1,884 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 $708 in Xai-Xai and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $178 per month in Xai-Xai and $197 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 $708, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.