🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,301 in Hatillo versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,063 in Hatillo versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,826 in Hatillo versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.
🌍Monthly costs are close between Hatillo and Playa del Carmen; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Hatillo6% lower, Playa del Carmen5% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hatillo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.64$18.64
$11.96MX$203
55.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.9$82.9
$47.38MX$804
74.91%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.14$9.14
$11.75MX$199
-22.21%
Cappuccino
$3.79$3.79
$4.12MX$70.0
-8.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87$1.87
$1.40MX$23.74
33.57%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23$1.23
$0.91MX$15.48
35.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.95$2.95
$3.21MX$54.4
-8.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.85$4.85
$7.07MX$120
-31.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hatillo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.28$2.28
$1.68MX$28.44
35.71%
White Bread(500g)
$3.72$3.72
$2.15MX$36.48
73.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.33$2.33
$1.77MX$30.10
31.64%
Eggs
$7.34$7.34
$2.82MX$47.76
160.28%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.64$12.64
$9.20MX$156
37.39%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.84$9.84
$9.23MX$157
6.61%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.07$13.07
$12.64MX$214
3.40%
Apples(1kg)
$5.21$5.21
$2.95MX$50.1
76.61%
Banana(1kg)
$2.56$2.56
$1.58MX$26.79
62.03%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.92$4.92
$2.22MX$37.70
121.62%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.90$4.90
$2.36MX$40.09
107.63%
Potato(1kg)
$3.81$3.81
$1.99MX$33.81
91.46%
Onion(1kg)
$4.04$4.04
$1.98MX$33.58
104.04%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.54$3.54
$1.24MX$21.04
185.48%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.63$1.63
$1.21MX$20.55
34.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$12.05$12.05
$4.60MX$78.1
161.96%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.61$15.61
$10.52MX$178
48.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.12$3.12
$1.69MX$28.70
84.62%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.09$4.09
$2.77MX$47.06
47.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Hatillo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.60MX$10.22
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$29.70MX$504
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.51$2.51
$5.24MX$88.8
-52.10%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.52$1.52
$3.65MX$61.9
-58.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$42.13$42.13
$5.78MX$98.1
628.89%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.11$1.11
$1.54MX$26.09
-27.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.6K$40.6K
$22.8KMX$386.8K
78.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.5K$27.5K
$25.8KMX$437.9K
6.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hatillo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$319$319
$90.7MX$1,538
251.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$70.1$70.1
$25.19MX$427
178.29%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.1$70.1
$31.75MX$539
120.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hatillo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$68.8MX$1,167
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$29.37MX$498
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.67$10.67
$4.86MX$82.5
119.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hatillo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$821$821
$226MX$3,828
263.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.5K$12.5K
$4,194MX$71.1K
197.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hatillo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.4$56.4
$47.38MX$804
19.04%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.7$61.7
$43.45MX$737
42.05%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$111$111
$80.2MX$1,361
37.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112$112
$91.4MX$1,550
22.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hatillo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,086MX$18.4K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$409MX$6,933
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,972MX$33.5K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,281MX$21.7K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$4,046MX$68.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$6,704MX$113.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hatillo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$773MX$13.1K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.55
11.45
-42.79%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Hatillo: September 7, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $83.0 in Hatillo vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $419 vs $278 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
Hatillo vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,951 in Hatillo and $1,958 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.
Is eating out cheaper in Hatillo or in Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Hatillo – a meal for two runs $83.0 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $821 in Hatillo versus $226 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 Hatillo or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,301 in Hatillo versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Hatillo but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Hatillo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Hatillo or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
For families, Hatillo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Hatillo wins on affordability, Playa del Carmen on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.