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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,162 in Harish versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,042 in Harish versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,923 in Harish versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Harish is roughly 72% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Harish is 62% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Harish
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.85 ₪66.4
$11.99 MX$210
82.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$87.8 ₪267
$41.78 MX$733
110.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$16.95 ₪51.5
$10.75 MX$189
57.67%
Cappuccino
$4.35 ₪13.21
$3.50 MX$61.3
24.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 ₪8.36
$1.45 MX$25.41
89.66%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 ₪6.95
$0.88 MX$15.52
160.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.64 ₪26.24
$2.95 MX$51.7
192.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.93 ₪21.05
$4.51 MX$79.1
53.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Harish
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.81 ₪5.51
$1.43 MX$25.12
26.57%
White Bread (500g)
$2.76 ₪8.39
$1.84 MX$32.23
50.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.45 ₪4.40
$1.57 MX$27.51
-7.64%
Eggs
$3.45 ₪10.48
$2.51 MX$44.06
37.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.74 ₪17.44
$8.28 MX$145
-30.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.95 ₪30.22
$8.43 MX$148
18.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.01 ₪42.56
$10.68 MX$187
31.18%
Apples (1kg)
$3.67 ₪11.15
$2.61 MX$45.76
40.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 ₪5.07
$1.44 MX$25.22
15.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.44 ₪4.38
$1.96 MX$34.41
-26.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.38 ₪4.21
$2.09 MX$36.74
-33.97%
Potato (1kg)
$1.43 ₪4.33
$1.85 MX$32.47
-22.70%
Onion (1kg)
$0.80 ₪2.43
$2.17 MX$38.02
-63.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.09 ₪6.35
$1.03 MX$18.09
102.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.40 ₪4.25
$1.07 MX$18.84
30.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.03 ₪30.47
$4.10 MX$72.0
144.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.26 ₪49.38
$10.17 MX$178
59.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.94 ₪5.88
$1.68 MX$29.38
15.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 ₪5.92
$2.53 MX$44.31
-22.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Harish
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.72 ₪5.24
$0.51 MX$8.93
237.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$69.2 ₪210
$26.04 MX$457
165.75%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.18 ₪12.71
$3.23 MX$56.7
29.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.87 ₪2.64
$2.41 MX$42.19
-63.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$42.15 ₪128
$3.23 MX$56.6
1204.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.87 ₪5.68
$1.32 MX$23.17
41.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.5K ₪101.7K
$29.7K MX$520.9K
12.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$46.9K ₪142.5K
$23.7K MX$415.0K
98.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Harish
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$191 ₪582
$82.0 MX$1,439
133.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.82 ₪29.83
$22.95 MX$403
-57.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.32 ₪89.1
$30.11 MX$528
-2.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Harish
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.8 ₪236
$52.0 MX$912
49.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.23 ₪25.01
$18.53 MX$325
-55.59%
Cinema Ticket
$12.54 ₪38.10
$4.98 MX$87.3
151.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Harish
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$838 ₪2,544
$197 MX$3,463
324.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,154 ₪27.8K
$5,336 MX$93.6K
71.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Harish
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.7 ₪212
$35.60 MX$624
95.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$62.1 ₪189
$40.33 MX$707
53.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.4 ₪299
$78.8 MX$1,381
24.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$167 ₪508
$88.9 MX$1,560
88.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Harish
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,030 ₪3,127
$947 MX$16.6K
8.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$935 ₪2,839
$474 MX$8,314
97.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,540 ₪4,678
$1,644 MX$28.8K
-6.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,013 ₪3,077
$1,211 MX$21.2K
-16.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.8K ₪32.9K
$4,056 MX$71.1K
167.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$8,799 ₪26.7K
$6,470 MX$113.5K
35.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Harish
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$654 MX$11.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.5
11.42
-69.35%

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

Last update for Harish: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,030 in Harish and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $88.0 in Harish vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $249 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
Harish vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Harish?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,242 in Harish 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.
What is the rent difference between Harish and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,030 in Harish versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 166% less than in Harish. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $838 in Harish versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Harish or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,162 in Harish, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Harish. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Harish or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Harish, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Harish or Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Harish 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Harish. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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