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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $808 per month in Hawassa vs $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,210 per month in Hawassa vs $2,189 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,613 per month in Hawassa vs $3,084 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Hawassa is about 38% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hawassa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Hawassa 39% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.46 ETB 705

$11.73 MX$202

-61.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.56 ETB 5,460

$41.78 MX$719

-17.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.62 ETB 1,046

$10.41 MX$179

-36.41%

Cappuccino

$1.27 ETB 201

$3.61 MX$62.1

-64.82%

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

$0.67 ETB 106

$1.46 MX$25.06

-54.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ETB 73.7

$0.97 MX$16.70

-51.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ETB 162

$2.92 MX$50.3

-64.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ETB 467

$4.62 MX$79.5

-36.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 ETB 228

$1.43 MX$24.59

0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ETB 212

$1.90 MX$32.70

-29.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ETB 160

$1.57 MX$26.95

-35.67%

Eggs

$1.52 ETB 240

$2.64 MX$45.34

-42.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.94 ETB 1,097

$8.44 MX$145

-17.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.00 ETB 2,213

$8.58 MX$148

63.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ETB 2,062

$11.00 MX$189

18.64%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 ETB 1,068

$2.70 MX$46.51

150.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 ETB 162

$1.51 MX$25.92

-32.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ETB 355

$1.91 MX$32.93

17.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 ETB 146

$2.17 MX$37.37

-57.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ETB 106

$1.87 MX$32.25

-64.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 ETB 291

$2.23 MX$38.43

-17.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ETB 109

$1.08 MX$18.60

-36.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ETB 100

$1.07 MX$18.47

-41.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 ETB 642

$4.16 MX$71.6

-2.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.53 ETB 874

$10.29 MX$177

-46.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ETB 158

$1.68 MX$28.95

-40.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ETB 298

$2.53 MX$43.59

-25.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ETB 236

$3.20 MX$55.0

-53.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.36

$2.46 MX$42.37

-88.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 ETB 319

$3.20 MX$55.0

-36.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ETB 204

$1.32 MX$22.72

-2.27%

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

$55.4K ETB 8.7M

$30.2K MX$518.8K

83.63%

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

$54.5K ETB 8.6M

$23.4K MX$402.5K

133.07%

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

$162 ETB 25.6K

$81.4 MX$1,400

99.34%

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

$11.77 ETB 1,860

$22.41 MX$386

-47.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$129 ETB 20.4K

$29.97 MX$516

331.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.76 ETB 909

$5.16 MX$88.9

11.63%

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

$80.4 ETB 12.7K

$202 MX$3,471

-60.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.9K ETB 6.3M

$5,311 MX$91.4K

651.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.00 ETB 7,426

$35.61 MX$613

31.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.7 ETB 11.8K

$40.37 MX$695

85.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 ETB 14.8K

$78.6 MX$1,353

19.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 ETB 17.7K

$86.9 MX$1,495

29.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$506 ETB 80.0K

$6,473 MX$111.4K

-92.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

48.86%

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

Last update for Hawassa: June 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Hawassa versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Hawassa vs $254 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $808 in Hawassa, $1,294 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 60% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,212 per month in Hawassa and $1,941 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Hawassa and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hawassa, where all-in costs run around $808, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Hawassa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $808 in Hawassa to $1,294 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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