Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton, New Zealand and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,917 in Hamilton, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

93

Cost of Living Index in Hamilton
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Hamilton Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

Jump to prices

Hamilton

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,917

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hamilton and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hamilton and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,917 in Hamilton versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen.

Hamilton $1,917
Playa del Carmen $1,204

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Hamilton versus $2,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Hamilton $2,828
Playa del Carmen $2,082

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,739 in Hamilton versus $2,959 in Playa del Carmen.

Hamilton $3,739
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Living in Hamilton is roughly 59% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hamilton is 41% above, Playa del Carmen is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.20 NZ$21.47

$10.92 MX$204

11.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.6 NZ$131

$43.37 MX$810

71.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.34 NZ$14.68

$11.78 MX$220

-29.20%

Cappuccino

$3.49 NZ$6.15

$3.81 MX$71.2

-8.40%

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

$2.31 NZ$4.07

$1.28 MX$23.96

80.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 NZ$4.40

$0.78 MX$14.63

220.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.08 NZ$10.70

$3.17 MX$59.2

91.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.61 NZ$9.87

$4.93 MX$92.2

13.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 NZ$2.57

$1.41 MX$26.28

3.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 NZ$2.20

$2.22 MX$41.43

-43.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 NZ$3.41

$1.42 MX$26.48

36.62%

Eggs

$5.52 NZ$9.71

$2.52 MX$47.14

119.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.78 NZ$10.17

$7.26 MX$136

-20.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.18 NZ$12.64

$7.70 MX$144

-6.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.70 NZ$20.60

$12.69 MX$237

-7.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 NZ$4.76

$2.78 MX$52.0

-2.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 NZ$4.06

$1.37 MX$25.56

68.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 NZ$5.71

$2.55 MX$47.66

27.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.21 NZ$10.93

$2.12 MX$39.67

192.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 NZ$3.61

$1.94 MX$36.22

5.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 NZ$2.49

$1.89 MX$35.24

-25.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 NZ$4.38

$1.15 MX$21.42

116.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 NZ$1.73

$1.18 MX$22.03

-16.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.19 NZ$46.10

$4.30 MX$80.3

509.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.72 NZ$18.87

$9.95 MX$186

7.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.02 NZ$7.08

$1.58 MX$29.59

154.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 NZ$7.29

$2.67 MX$49.91

55.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 NZ$4.68

$0.55 MX$10.34

383.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.7 NZ$92.7

$26.62 MX$497

97.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 NZ$6.51

$4.97 MX$92.9

-25.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 MX$62.2

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$100

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 NZ$2.93

$1.44 MX$26.98

15.97%

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

$28.2K NZ$49.7K

$20.7K MX$386.2K

36.54%

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

$22.4K NZ$39.3K

$23.5K MX$438.5K

-4.74%

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

$58.3 NZ$103

$84.8 MX$1,584

-31.29%

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

$36.48 NZ$64.2

$23.41 MX$437

55.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 NZ$97.6

$28.66 MX$535

93.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.73 NZ$45.29

$57.1 MX$1,066

-54.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.98 NZ$51.0

$28.91 MX$540

0.24%

Cinema Ticket

$13.93 NZ$24.52

$5.14 MX$96.0

171.01%

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

$670 NZ$1,180

$207 MX$3,860

224.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K NZ$39.5K

$3,927 MX$73.4K

471.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 NZ$112

$43.35 MX$810

46.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.93 NZ$68.5

$41.44 MX$774

-6.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 NZ$167

$74.2 MX$1,386

27.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NZ$188

$89.3 MX$1,668

19.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 NZ$1,918

$980 MX$18.3K

11.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$987 NZ$1,737

$381 MX$7,116

159.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 NZ$2,879

$1,708 MX$31.9K

-4.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 NZ$2,598

$1,075 MX$20.1K

37.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,019 NZ$7,074

$3,943 MX$73.7K

1.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,525 NZ$7,964

$6,158 MX$115.1K

-26.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,678 NZ$4,713

$735 MX$13.7K

264.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.83

11.45

-40.35%

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

Last update for Hamilton: October 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Hamilton

$987 51.5%

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6% 61.4% $606

Groceries & Markets

Hamilton

$297 15.5%

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2% 14.3% $42

Eating Out

Hamilton

$225 11.8%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8% 10.2% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hamilton

$150 7.8%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 8.9% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Hamilton

$137 7.1%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 18.3% $25

Getting Around

Hamilton

$67 * 3.5%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 24.7% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Hamilton

$54 2.8%

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6% 25.6% $14

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,090 in Hamilton and $980 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays about 3.6 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $75 in Hamilton vs $43 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $255 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Hamilton

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

05:56 5:56 AM

11:56 11:56 AM

18 h behind Hamilton

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

169,500

149,923

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.568 USD

1 NZD = 0.511 EUR

100 MXN = 5.35 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.76 NZD (1 NZD = 0.568 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 NZD (1 NZD = 0.511 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.69 MXN (100 MXN = 5.35 USD). 1 EUR = 20.8 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Hamilton Playa del Carmen 12,040 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Hamilton
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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, utilities, and clothing. The 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay in Hamilton is about 3.6 times higher, 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: $1,090 in Hamilton versus $980 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 $43 versus $75 in Hamilton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $1,917 per month in Hamilton versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,917 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.

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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.