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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,021 per month in Cholula vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,575 per month in Cholula vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,129 per month in Cholula vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Cholula is about 20% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cholula and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Cholula 24% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$206

$11.87 MX$204

1.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.85 MX$787

$42.90 MX$736

6.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 MX$140

$10.65 MX$183

-23.38%

Cappuccino

$3.64 MX$62.5

$3.45 MX$59.2

5.51%

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

$1.18 MX$20.21

$1.50 MX$25.81

-21.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.71

$0.95 MX$16.28

-3.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 MX$41.15

$3.03 MX$51.9

-20.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 MX$71.5

$4.61 MX$79.1

-9.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.32

$1.38 MX$23.61

2.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 MX$43.76

$1.85 MX$31.70

37.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 MX$26.49

$1.61 MX$27.65

-4.35%

Eggs

$2.42 MX$41.48

$2.59 MX$44.51

-6.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 MX$122

$8.26 MX$142

-13.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 MX$111

$8.37 MX$144

-22.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$186

$10.66 MX$183

1.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 MX$43.21

$2.63 MX$45.12

-4.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$23.58

$1.49 MX$25.53

-8.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.14

$1.92 MX$32.94

-14.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.37

$2.09 MX$35.81

-15.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 MX$29.15

$1.86 MX$31.88

-8.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 MX$31.43

$2.26 MX$38.81

-19.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 MX$21.64

$1.06 MX$18.23

18.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 MX$18.96

$1.09 MX$18.67

0.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$73.8

$4.15 MX$71.2

3.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 MX$243

$10.39 MX$178

36.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 MX$22.29

$1.72 MX$29.59

-24.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 MX$48.88

$2.61 MX$44.85

9.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.54

$0.54 MX$9.30

12.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.36 MX$281

$26.94 MX$462

-39.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$55.8

$3.13 MX$53.7

3.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 MX$21.35

$2.51 MX$43.09

-50.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.45 MX$179

$3.15 MX$54.1

231.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.56

$1.27 MX$21.88

-0.79%

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

$20.2K MX$346.4K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-33.54%

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

$20.6K MX$354.3K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-12.42%

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

$62.9 MX$1,080

$83.0 MX$1,425

-24.22%

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

$22.37 MX$384

$22.71 MX$390

-1.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.48 MX$437

$29.46 MX$506

-13.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.39 MX$607

$51.0 MX$875

-30.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.73 MX$270

$18.33 MX$315

-14.18%

Cinema Ticket

$5.27 MX$90.5

$4.93 MX$84.5

6.90%

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

$319 MX$5,478

$197 MX$3,386

61.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,546 MX$60.9K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-32.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 MX$877

$36.90 MX$633

38.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.73 MX$733

$39.89 MX$685

7.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,915

$80.0 MX$1,373

39.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.7 MX$1,712

$89.5 MX$1,536

11.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 MX$6,270

$956 MX$16.4K

-61.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 MX$4,359

$477 MX$8,189

-46.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 MX$8,774

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-68.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 MX$6,473

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-69.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,940 MX$33.3K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-50.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,240 MX$21.3K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-80.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$853 MX$14.6K

$667 MX$11.4K

27.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

11.42

-1.49%

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

Last update for Cholula: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $365 in Cholula versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 28% higher in Cholula, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Cholula versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Cholula vs $250 in Playa del Carmen – so Cholula 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 25% more than Cholula, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,531 per month in Cholula and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cholula, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Cholula and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,021 in Cholula and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cholula, where all-in costs run around $1,021, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Cholula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cholula costs $1,021 versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cholula. 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.