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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $561 in Hama versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $875 in Hama versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,189 in Hama versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Hama costs roughly 57% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hama 59% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.87 SYP 956

$11.71 MX$199

-32.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.69 SYP 3,730

$46.59 MX$791

-34.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.62 SYP 318

$11.65 MX$198

-77.51%

Cappuccino

$1.16 SYP 141

$4.09 MX$69.5

-71.64%

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

$2.27 SYP 276

$1.37 MX$23.34

65.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 SYP 99.3

$0.83 MX$14.16

-1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 SYP 229

$3.35 MX$56.9

-43.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 SYP 220

$6.91 MX$117

-73.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 SYP 126

$1.73 MX$29.33

-39.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 SYP 47.13

$2.26 MX$38.39

-82.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 SYP 193

$1.77 MX$30.05

-10.73%

Eggs

$1.61 SYP 196

$2.73 MX$46.41

-41.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.89 SYP 473

$9.18 MX$156

-57.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.77 SYP 702

$8.92 MX$151

-35.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.68 SYP 1,663

$12.60 MX$214

8.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 SYP 131

$3.02 MX$51.3

-64.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 SYP 173

$1.57 MX$26.68

-8.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 SYP 138

$2.13 MX$36.10

-46.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 SYP 125

$2.26 MX$38.46

-54.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 SYP 97.7

$2.00 MX$34.04

-60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 SYP 90.7

$2.06 MX$35.06

-63.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 SYP 48.51

$1.18 MX$20.04

-66.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SYP 75.4

$1.20 MX$20.45

-48.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.70 SYP 329

$4.63 MX$78.7

-41.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.14 SYP 747

$10.69 MX$182

-42.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 SYP 134

$1.62 MX$27.50

-32.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 SYP 342

$2.88 MX$48.93

-2.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 SYP 25.18

$0.57 MX$9.74

-63.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 SYP 123

$5.45 MX$92.5

-81.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 SYP 186

$3.70 MX$62.9

-58.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.57 SYP 920

$5.98 MX$102

26.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.61 SYP 438

$1.55 MX$26.38

132.90%

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

$14.9K SYP 1.8M

$22.3K MX$379.2K

-33.24%

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

$19.1K SYP 2.3M

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-26.26%

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

$143 SYP 17.3K

$89.1 MX$1,514

59.90%

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

$9.35 SYP 1,136

$25.04 MX$425

-62.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.48 SYP 2,853

$31.50 MX$535

-25.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,151

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 SYP 686

$5.05 MX$85.8

11.88%

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

$67.0 SYP 8,141

$225 MX$3,820

-70.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,804 SYP 219.3K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

-57.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.66 SYP 3,483

$47.44 MX$806

-39.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 SYP 4,877

$44.98 MX$764

-10.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.5 SYP 7,227

$82.0 MX$1,392

-27.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.9 SYP 7,158

$92.1 MX$1,564

-36.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,884

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.25

11.45

24.45%

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

Last update for Hama: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $31.00 in Hama vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $169 vs $277 per month, with Hama cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Hama and Playa del Carmen differ by about 131% in total monthly costs ($561 vs $1,293 including rent). Hama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $842 in Hama and $1,940 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 64% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $561 per month in Hama versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 131% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $561 in Hama versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hama but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Hama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Hama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 131% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.