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 $822 per month in Hawassa vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,230 per month in Hawassa vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,638 per month in Hawassa vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Hawassa is about 36% 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 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ETB 689

$11.94 MX$209

-63.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.09 ETB 5,484

$42.75 MX$748

-17.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.58 ETB 1,029

$10.59 MX$185

-37.87%

Cappuccino

$1.23 ETB 193

$3.62 MX$63.4

-66.02%

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

$0.64 ETB 100

$1.47 MX$25.69

-56.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 67.5

$0.94 MX$16.51

-54.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ETB 160

$3.09 MX$54.1

-66.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ETB 464

$4.46 MX$78.0

-33.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ETB 218

$1.43 MX$24.94

-2.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ETB 209

$1.88 MX$32.97

-28.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ETB 161

$1.63 MX$28.50

-36.81%

Eggs

$1.60 ETB 251

$2.64 MX$46.26

-39.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.21 ETB 1,127

$8.21 MX$144

-12.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.92 ETB 2,175

$8.29 MX$145

67.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.28 ETB 2,075

$11.10 MX$194

19.64%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 ETB 1,057

$2.65 MX$46.40

155.09%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ETB 152

$1.50 MX$26.26

-35.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 ETB 338

$1.99 MX$34.79

8.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 ETB 141

$2.08 MX$36.33

-56.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ETB 105

$1.79 MX$31.29

-62.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ETB 299

$2.18 MX$38.09

-12.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ETB 107

$1.08 MX$18.84

-37.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ETB 98.1

$1.04 MX$18.15

-39.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 ETB 629

$3.97 MX$69.5

1.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.76 ETB 900

$10.20 MX$179

-43.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ETB 156

$1.73 MX$30.22

-42.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ETB 288

$2.50 MX$43.71

-26.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ETB 233

$3.14 MX$55.0

-52.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 42.05

$2.40 MX$42.04

-88.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 ETB 320

$3.09 MX$54.0

-33.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ETB 194

$1.27 MX$22.28

-2.36%

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

$55.1K ETB 8.6M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

78.47%

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

$53.0K ETB 8.3M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

127.34%

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

$158 ETB 24.7K

$82.0 MX$1,435

92.71%

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

$11.98 ETB 1,872

$22.45 MX$393

-46.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$131 ETB 20.5K

$29.66 MX$519

341.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 ETB 866

$4.97 MX$87.0

11.47%

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

$81.7 ETB 12.8K

$198 MX$3,462

-58.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.9K ETB 6.4M

$5,273 MX$92.3K

675.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.79 ETB 7,470

$36.34 MX$636

31.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.0 ETB 11.7K

$40.05 MX$701

87.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 ETB 14.5K

$79.9 MX$1,398

15.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ETB 18.2K

$88.9 MX$1,555

30.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$503 ETB 78.5K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-92.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Hawassa versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Hawassa vs $251 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: $822 in Hawassa, $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 57% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,232 per month in Hawassa and $1,930 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 $43.00 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 3% 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 $822, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $822 in Hawassa to $1,287 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.