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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,850 in Hamilton versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,919 in Hamilton versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,988 in Hamilton versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Hamilton is roughly 47% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hamilton is 39% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 NZ$24.02

$11.72 MX$204

18.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 NZ$145

$41.89 MX$731

100.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.97 NZ$15.46

$10.51 MX$183

-14.65%

Cappuccino

$3.54 NZ$6.09

$3.59 MX$62.5

-1.39%

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

$2.37 NZ$4.08

$1.51 MX$26.31

56.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 NZ$5.06

$0.92 MX$15.96

219.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.84 NZ$11.79

$2.96 MX$51.6

131.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.24 NZ$10.75

$4.41 MX$76.9

41.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 NZ$2.77

$1.40 MX$24.35

15.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 NZ$2.28

$1.88 MX$32.87

-29.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 NZ$3.33

$1.56 MX$27.19

23.72%

Eggs

$5.95 NZ$10.26

$2.61 MX$45.50

127.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.81 NZ$10.00

$8.32 MX$145

-30.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.14 NZ$14.03

$8.35 MX$146

-2.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 NZ$18.72

$10.86 MX$189

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 NZ$4.74

$2.71 MX$47.31

1.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 NZ$4.97

$1.51 MX$26.25

91.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 NZ$5.32

$1.87 MX$32.67

65.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 NZ$11.23

$2.19 MX$38.19

197.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 NZ$3.84

$1.86 MX$32.40

19.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 NZ$3.48

$2.23 MX$38.90

-9.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 NZ$4.46

$1.07 MX$18.63

142.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NZ$1.83

$1.09 MX$18.94

-2.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.43 NZ$43.81

$4.19 MX$73.0

506.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.90 NZ$18.79

$10.43 MX$182

4.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.43 NZ$5.91

$1.66 MX$28.91

106.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 NZ$7.65

$2.61 MX$45.56

70.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.62 NZ$2.78

$0.54 MX$9.45

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.05 NZ$82.8

$26.16 MX$456

83.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 NZ$7.32

$3.08 MX$53.7

37.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 NZ$3.36

$2.40 MX$41.94

-18.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.19 NZ$72.7

$3.13 MX$54.5

1247.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 NZ$2.97

$1.31 MX$22.87

31.30%

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

$23.5K NZ$40.5K

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-21.17%

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

$23.1K NZ$39.7K

$23.3K MX$406.8K

-1.09%

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

$92.1 NZ$159

$81.3 MX$1,418

13.28%

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

$39.33 NZ$67.8

$22.56 MX$393

74.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.2 NZ$91.6

$30.05 MX$524

76.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.88 NZ$54.9

$52.9 MX$923

-39.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.96 NZ$29.23

$18.39 MX$321

-7.78%

Cinema Ticket

$13.36 NZ$23.01

$4.92 MX$85.8

171.54%

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

$847 NZ$1,459

$201 MX$3,502

321.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K NZ$31.2K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

249.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 NZ$108

$35.92 MX$627

75.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.53 NZ$69.8

$40.13 MX$700

1.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 NZ$150

$79.7 MX$1,390

9.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 NZ$202

$86.5 MX$1,508

35.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 NZ$1,697

$978 MX$17.1K

0.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$851 NZ$1,467

$470 MX$8,206

80.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 NZ$2,144

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-24.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,591 NZ$2,741

$1,203 MX$21.0K

32.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,119 NZ$7,097

$3,953 MX$69.0K

4.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,634 NZ$7,985

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-29.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,718 NZ$4,684

$677 MX$11.8K

301.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.83

11.42

-40.19%

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

Last update for Hamilton: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Hamilton and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 302% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $84.0 in Hamilton vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $309 vs $252 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 302% higher in Hamilton, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $985 in Hamilton versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $84.0 in Hamilton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,850 per month in Hamilton versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,850 in Hamilton, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Hamilton. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Hamilton 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.