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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $680 in Choloma versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,141 in Choloma versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,603 in Choloma versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Choloma costs roughly 47% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Choloma 49% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.66 HNL 151

$11.87 MX$207

-52.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.07 HNL 988

$42.90 MX$749

-13.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.47 HNL 199

$10.65 MX$186

-29.86%

Cappuccino

$2.39 HNL 63.6

$3.45 MX$60.2

-30.72%

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

$0.96 HNL 25.59

$1.50 MX$26.27

-36.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 HNL 30.33

$0.95 MX$16.57

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 HNL 31.20

$3.03 MX$52.9

-61.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 HNL 71.3

$4.61 MX$80.5

-41.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 HNL 37.38

$1.38 MX$24.03

1.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 HNL 57.1

$1.85 MX$32.27

15.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 HNL 33.88

$1.61 MX$28.14

-21.12%

Eggs

$2.13 HNL 56.8

$2.59 MX$45.30

-17.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.13 HNL 164

$8.26 MX$144

-25.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.76 HNL 100

$8.37 MX$146

-55.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.86 HNL 209

$10.66 MX$186

-26.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 HNL 76.0

$2.63 MX$45.93

8.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 HNL 39.89

$1.49 MX$25.99

0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 HNL 40.38

$1.92 MX$33.53

-21.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 HNL 41.59

$2.09 MX$36.44

-25.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 HNL 42.67

$1.86 MX$32.44

-13.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 HNL 37.44

$2.26 MX$39.50

-38.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 HNL 23.55

$1.06 MX$18.56

-16.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 HNL 43.70

$1.09 MX$19.00

50.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 HNL 65.2

$4.15 MX$72.5

-41.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$182

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 HNL 36.15

$1.72 MX$30.12

-20.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 HNL 49.45

$2.61 MX$45.64

-28.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 HNL 16.33

$0.54 MX$9.46

12.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$471

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.35 HNL 116

$3.13 MX$54.6

38.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.85

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 HNL 27.21

$1.27 MX$22.27

-19.69%

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

$18.8K HNL 502.4K

$30.4K MX$530.6K

-37.95%

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

$19.0K HNL 507.1K

$23.6K MX$411.7K

-19.26%

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

$81.5 HNL 2,173

$83.0 MX$1,450

-1.78%

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

$8.88 HNL 237

$22.71 MX$397

-60.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.20 HNL 1,098

$29.46 MX$515

39.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$891

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$5.85 HNL 156

$4.93 MX$86.0

18.66%

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

$252 HNL 6,722

$197 MX$3,447

27.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.63 HNL 1,216

$36.90 MX$645

23.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.64 HNL 950

$39.89 MX$697

-10.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 HNL 2,949

$80.0 MX$1,398

38.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 HNL 2,727

$89.5 MX$1,563

14.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$109 HNL 2,900

$956 MX$16.7K

-88.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.4 HNL 2,649

$477 MX$8,334

-79.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 HNL 9,145

$1,646 MX$28.8K

-79.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 HNL 7,912

$1,225 MX$21.4K

-75.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.08%

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

Last update for Choloma: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $109 in Choloma and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Choloma vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $250 per month, with Choloma 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

Choloma vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Choloma is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 87% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,019 in Choloma and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen 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: $109 in Choloma versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $680 per month in Choloma versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 87% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $680 in Choloma versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Choloma but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Choloma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Choloma is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Choloma and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Choloma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.