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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,421 per month in Hastings vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,292 per month in Hastings vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,162 per month in Hastings vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Hastings costs about 10% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Hastings sits 6% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.12 NZ$20.72

$11.94 MX$209

1.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.7 NZ$143

$42.75 MX$748

95.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 NZ$16.27

$10.59 MX$185

-10.20%

Cappuccino

$3.41 NZ$5.84

$3.62 MX$63.4

-5.80%

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

$1.85 NZ$3.16

$1.47 MX$25.69

25.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 NZ$3.51

$0.94 MX$16.51

118.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 NZ$10.08

$3.09 MX$54.1

90.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 NZ$12.44

$4.46 MX$78.0

63.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 NZ$3.25

$1.43 MX$24.94

32.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 NZ$3.49

$1.88 MX$32.97

8.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 NZ$3.32

$1.63 MX$28.50

19.02%

Eggs

$6.16 NZ$10.53

$2.64 MX$46.26

133.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 NZ$13.72

$8.21 MX$144

-2.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.16 NZ$19.09

$8.29 MX$145

34.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.63 NZ$21.61

$11.10 MX$194

13.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 NZ$4.89

$2.65 MX$46.40

7.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 NZ$3.64

$1.50 MX$26.26

42.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 NZ$5.15

$1.99 MX$34.79

51.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 NZ$8.21

$2.08 MX$36.33

130.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.20

$1.79 MX$31.29

4.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 NZ$2.51

$2.18 MX$38.09

-32.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 NZ$3.72

$1.08 MX$18.84

100.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 NZ$1.67

$1.04 MX$18.15

-6.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.89 NZ$37.43

$3.97 MX$69.5

451.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.69 NZ$16.57

$10.20 MX$179

-5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.72 NZ$6.36

$1.73 MX$30.22

115.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 NZ$4.86

$2.50 MX$43.71

13.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.50 NZ$4.28

$0.52 MX$9.07

380.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.4 NZ$105

$26.97 MX$472

127.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 NZ$4.75

$3.14 MX$55.0

-11.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.14

$2.40 MX$42.04

-23.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.1 NZ$103

$3.09 MX$54.0

1843.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 NZ$2.85

$1.27 MX$22.28

31.50%

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

$31.0K NZ$52.9K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

0.27%

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

$20.7K NZ$35.5K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-11.04%

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

$155 NZ$266

$82.0 MX$1,435

89.48%

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

$32.96 NZ$56.4

$22.45 MX$393

46.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 NZ$88.5

$29.66 MX$519

74.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.54 NZ$62.5

$51.9 MX$908

-29.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.09 NZ$20.67

$18.67 MX$327

-35.24%

Cinema Ticket

$10.88 NZ$18.61

$4.97 MX$87.0

118.91%

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

$806 NZ$1,379

$198 MX$3,462

307.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K NZ$21.7K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

140.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 NZ$108

$36.34 MX$636

73.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 NZ$91.0

$40.05 MX$701

32.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 NZ$198

$79.9 MX$1,398

45.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 NZ$230

$88.9 MX$1,555

51.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$395 NZ$675

$963 MX$16.9K

-59.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 NZ$598

$465 MX$8,133

-24.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,042 NZ$1,782

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-34.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 NZ$1,001

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-51.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,157 NZ$3,688

$720 MX$12.6K

199.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

11.42

-39.23%

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

Last update for Hastings: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $395 in Hastings versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 199% higher in Hastings, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84.0 in Hastings versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $251 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Hastings costs about 10% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,131 per month in Hastings and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Hastings, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84.0 in Hastings and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Hastings at $1,421. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hastings it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,287 versus $1,421 in Hastings. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hastings makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.