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 $874 per month in Hawassa vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,228 per month in Hawassa vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,583 per month in Hawassa vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Hawassa is about 34% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Hawassa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Hawassa 36% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.12 ETB 662

$13.02 MX$221

-68.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.81 ETB 6,882

$46.25 MX$784

-7.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 ETB 1,075

$12.59 MX$213

-46.86%

Cappuccino

$0.96 ETB 155

$4.00 MX$67.9

-76.00%

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

$0.62 ETB 100

$1.42 MX$24.08

-56.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 ETB 104

$0.81 MX$13.73

-19.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.83 ETB 133

$3.05 MX$51.7

-72.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ETB 354

$6.82 MX$116

-67.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 ETB 178

$1.71 MX$29.04

-35.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 ETB 193

$2.22 MX$37.62

-45.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ETB 163

$1.72 MX$29.13

-41.28%

Eggs

$1.52 ETB 244

$2.71 MX$45.99

-43.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.30 ETB 1,174

$9.37 MX$159

-22.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 ETB 1,611

$8.86 MX$150

13.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 ETB 1,526

$12.78 MX$217

-25.74%

Apples (1kg)

$5.24 ETB 843

$3.13 MX$53.0

67.41%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 ETB 111

$1.55 MX$26.24

-55.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 ETB 348

$2.15 MX$36.51

0.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 ETB 114

$2.35 MX$39.89

-69.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 ETB 74.1

$2.02 MX$34.23

-77.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ETB 175

$1.99 MX$33.67

-45.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ETB 104

$1.24 MX$21.09

-48.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ETB 91.4

$1.19 MX$20.21

-52.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.93 ETB 1,274

$4.65 MX$78.8

70.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 ETB 897

$10.47 MX$177

-46.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ETB 113

$1.58 MX$26.82

-55.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 ETB 206

$2.92 MX$49.48

-56.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 ETB 211

$5.32 MX$90.2

-75.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 43.12

$3.72 MX$63.0

-92.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 ETB 325

$5.78 MX$97.9

-65.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 ETB 152

$1.55 MX$26.27

-38.71%

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

$54.1K ETB 8.7M

$22.4K MX$379.1K

141.90%

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

$56.6K ETB 9.1M

$25.6K MX$433.3K

121.23%

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

$206 ETB 33.0K

$89.3 MX$1,513

130.28%

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

$7.49 ETB 1,204

$23.30 MX$395

-67.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$257 ETB 41.3K

$31.72 MX$538

710.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$3.65 ETB 587

$5.06 MX$85.7

-27.87%

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

$138 ETB 22.1K

$222 MX$3,765

-37.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.8K ETB 4.9M

$4,293 MX$72.7K

616.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.72 ETB 5,260

$46.21 MX$783

-29.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.2 ETB 11.6K

$44.43 MX$753

62.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 ETB 12.9K

$95.5 MX$1,618

-16.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ETB 13.5K

$92.5 MX$1,568

-9.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$491 ETB 78.9K

$6,627 MX$112.3K

-92.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

11.6

59.48%

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

Last update for Hawassa: August 18, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Hawassa versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $277 – making Hawassa 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $874 in Hawassa, $1,330 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 52% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,310 per month in Hawassa and $1,995 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 $43.00 in Hawassa and $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hawassa, where all-in costs run around $874, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. 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 $874 in Hawassa to $1,330 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.