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: $1,869 in Hamilton versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,967 in Hamilton versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,066 in Hamilton versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Hamilton is roughly 45% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hamilton is 40% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.89 NZ$23.61

$11.94 MX$208

16.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 NZ$145

$42.75 MX$744

98.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 NZ$15.07

$10.59 MX$184

-16.34%

Cappuccino

$3.69 NZ$6.27

$3.62 MX$63.0

1.93%

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

$2.41 NZ$4.10

$1.47 MX$25.54

63.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 NZ$4.90

$0.94 MX$16.41

206.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.73 NZ$11.43

$3.09 MX$53.8

117.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 NZ$10.19

$4.46 MX$77.6

34.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 NZ$2.71

$1.43 MX$24.80

11.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 NZ$2.22

$1.88 MX$32.79

-30.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 NZ$3.29

$1.63 MX$28.34

19.02%

Eggs

$6.04 NZ$10.27

$2.64 MX$45.99

128.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.65 NZ$9.61

$8.21 MX$143

-31.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.19 NZ$13.92

$8.29 MX$144

-1.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.21 NZ$19.05

$11.10 MX$193

0.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 NZ$4.56

$2.65 MX$46.14

1.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 NZ$5.03

$1.50 MX$26.11

97.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 NZ$5.18

$1.99 MX$34.59

53.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.49 NZ$11.03

$2.08 MX$36.13

212.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 NZ$3.84

$1.79 MX$31.11

26.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 NZ$3.24

$2.18 MX$37.87

-12.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 NZ$4.62

$1.08 MX$18.73

151.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 NZ$1.76

$1.04 MX$18.04

-0.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.68 NZ$43.66

$3.97 MX$69.1

546.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.20 NZ$19.04

$10.20 MX$178

9.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.46 NZ$5.87

$1.73 MX$30.04

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 NZ$7.51

$2.50 MX$43.46

76.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 NZ$2.77

$0.52 MX$9.02

213.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.48 NZ$80.7

$26.97 MX$469

76.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 NZ$7.23

$3.14 MX$54.7

35.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 NZ$3.37

$2.40 MX$41.80

-17.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.54 NZ$72.3

$3.09 MX$53.7

1276.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 NZ$2.92

$1.27 MX$22.16

35.43%

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

$23.4K NZ$39.8K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-24.26%

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

$22.6K NZ$38.4K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

-3.13%

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

$93.9 NZ$160

$82.0 MX$1,427

14.52%

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

$39.03 NZ$66.4

$22.45 MX$391

73.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.2 NZ$92.1

$29.66 MX$516

82.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.44 NZ$55.2

$51.9 MX$903

-37.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 NZ$27.95

$18.67 MX$325

-11.94%

Cinema Ticket

$13.38 NZ$22.74

$4.97 MX$86.5

169.22%

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

$835 NZ$1,419

$198 MX$3,442

321.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K NZ$30.5K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

240.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 NZ$107

$36.34 MX$632

73.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 NZ$69.7

$40.05 MX$697

2.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 NZ$150

$79.9 MX$1,390

10.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 NZ$194

$88.9 MX$1,547

28.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$958 NZ$1,629

$963 MX$16.8K

-0.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$878 NZ$1,492

$465 MX$8,086

88.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,249 NZ$2,123

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-21.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 NZ$2,746

$1,209 MX$21.0K

33.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,675 NZ$9,647

$3,942 MX$68.6K

43.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,916 NZ$8,358

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-23.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,673 NZ$4,545

$720 MX$12.5K

271.09%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $958 in Hamilton and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 271% 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: $85.0 in Hamilton vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $311 vs $251 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 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Hamilton pays 271% more on average, 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: $958 in Hamilton versus $963 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 $43.00 versus $85.0 in Hamilton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,869 per month in Hamilton versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,869 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 45% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.