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: $405 in Hama versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $615 in Hama versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $824 in Hama versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Hama costs roughly 68% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hama 70% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.54 SYP 430

$11.99 MX$210

-70.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.93 SYP 1,449

$41.78 MX$733

-71.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.56 SYP 311

$10.75 MX$189

-76.19%

Cappuccino

$0.79 SYP 95.5

$3.50 MX$61.3

-77.43%

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

$0.88 SYP 107

$1.45 MX$25.41

-39.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 SYP 58.4

$0.88 MX$15.52

-45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 SYP 193

$2.95 MX$51.7

-46.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 SYP 298

$4.51 MX$79.1

-45.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.52 SYP 63.2

$1.43 MX$25.12

-63.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 SYP 72.2

$1.84 MX$32.23

-67.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 SYP 149

$1.57 MX$27.51

-21.66%

Eggs

$1.87 SYP 228

$2.51 MX$44.06

-25.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.97 SYP 361

$8.28 MX$145

-64.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 SYP 454

$8.43 MX$148

-55.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.02 SYP 732

$10.68 MX$187

-43.63%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 SYP 111

$2.61 MX$45.76

-64.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 SYP 220

$1.44 MX$25.22

25.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 SYP 119

$1.96 MX$34.41

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 SYP 62.6

$2.09 MX$36.74

-75.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 SYP 65.0

$1.85 MX$32.47

-70.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 SYP 56.7

$2.17 MX$38.02

-78.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 SYP 29.11

$1.03 MX$18.09

-76.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SYP 70.8

$1.07 MX$18.84

-45.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 SYP 301

$4.10 MX$72.0

-39.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.97 SYP 726

$10.17 MX$178

-41.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 SYP 118

$1.68 MX$29.38

-42.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SYP 212

$2.53 MX$44.31

-30.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 SYP 21.97

$0.51 MX$8.93

-64.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 SYP 57.8

$3.23 MX$56.7

-85.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 SYP 57.8

$2.41 MX$42.19

-80.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.36 SYP 772

$3.23 MX$56.6

96.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 SYP 178

$1.32 MX$23.17

11.36%

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

$18.3K SYP 2.2M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-38.48%

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

$21.4K SYP 2.6M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-9.64%

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

$101 SYP 12.2K

$82.0 MX$1,439

22.81%

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

$8.21 SYP 998

$22.95 MX$403

-64.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 SYP 6,601

$30.11 MX$528

80.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$3.53 SYP 430

$52.0 MX$912

-93.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.48 SYP 423

$18.53 MX$325

-81.22%

Cinema Ticket

$2.95 SYP 358

$4.98 MX$87.3

-40.76%

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

$34.44 SYP 4,185

$197 MX$3,463

-82.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$506 SYP 61.4K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-90.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.87 SYP 1,200

$35.60 MX$624

-72.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.30 SYP 3,074

$40.33 MX$707

-37.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.15 SYP 5,365

$78.8 MX$1,381

-43.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$20.32 SYP 2,469

$88.9 MX$1,560

-77.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$90.9 SYP 11.0K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-94.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.7 SYP 7,983

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-94.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

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 Hama: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $12.00 in Hama vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $122 vs $249 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 210% in total monthly costs ($405 vs $1,256 including rent). Hama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $608 in Hama and $1,884 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 104% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $405 per month in Hama versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 210% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $405 in Hama versus $1,256 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 210% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.