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: $411 in Hama versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $620 in Hama versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $829 in Hama versus $3,065 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 69% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 SYP 390

$11.73 MX$203

-69.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.23 SYP 1,351

$41.62 MX$720

-70.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.49 SYP 275

$10.64 MX$184

-76.60%

Cappuccino

$0.73 SYP 80.6

$3.52 MX$60.9

-79.26%

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

$0.89 SYP 98.3

$1.51 MX$26.12

-41.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 SYP 53.5

$0.97 MX$16.84

-50.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 SYP 181

$2.95 MX$51.0

-44.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SYP 272

$4.45 MX$77.0

-44.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.49 SYP 53.9

$1.38 MX$23.93

-64.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 SYP 70.0

$1.89 MX$32.72

-66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 SYP 141

$1.64 MX$28.32

-21.95%

Eggs

$1.84 SYP 204

$2.51 MX$43.34

-26.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.03 SYP 335

$8.34 MX$144

-63.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 SYP 423

$8.34 MX$144

-54.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.17 SYP 682

$10.73 MX$186

-42.50%

Apples (1kg)

$0.93 SYP 103

$2.60 MX$45.04

-64.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 SYP 199

$1.46 MX$25.20

23.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 SYP 109

$1.90 MX$32.87

-47.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 SYP 57.2

$2.08 MX$35.91

-75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 SYP 58.1

$1.78 MX$30.71

-70.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 SYP 48.54

$2.19 MX$37.80

-79.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 SYP 26.44

$1.04 MX$17.99

-76.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SYP 63.8

$1.08 MX$18.62

-46.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 SYP 282

$4.08 MX$70.6

-37.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.80 SYP 640

$10.32 MX$178

-43.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 SYP 108

$1.71 MX$29.61

-42.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SYP 195

$2.58 MX$44.54

-31.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 SYP 24.66

$0.51 MX$8.81

-56.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 SYP 53.4

$3.26 MX$56.4

-85.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 SYP 57.3

$2.49 MX$43.09

-79.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 SYP 733

$3.25 MX$56.2

104.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 SYP 162

$1.31 MX$22.61

12.21%

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

$18.6K SYP 2.1M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-38.70%

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

$20.6K SYP 2.3M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-12.12%

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

$104 SYP 11.5K

$82.9 MX$1,433

25.28%

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

$8.64 SYP 955

$22.22 MX$384

-61.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 SYP 6,010

$29.34 MX$507

85.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$3.44 SYP 380

$51.6 MX$893

-93.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.43 SYP 379

$18.32 MX$317

-81.28%

Cinema Ticket

$2.92 SYP 322

$5.07 MX$87.6

-42.41%

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

$35.55 SYP 3,928

$201 MX$3,473

-82.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$490 SYP 54.2K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-90.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.89 SYP 1,092

$36.92 MX$639

-73.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.28 SYP 2,793

$39.79 MX$688

-36.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.23 SYP 4,998

$78.5 MX$1,357

-42.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$20.11 SYP 2,222

$87.1 MX$1,506

-76.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$89.1 SYP 9,840

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-94.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.4 SYP 7,229

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-94.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 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 $123 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 216% in total monthly costs ($411 vs $1,297 including rent). Hama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $616 in Hama and $1,945 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 103% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $411 per month in Hama versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 216% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $411 in Hama versus $1,297 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 216% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.