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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,352 in Hearst versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,432 in Hearst versus $2,189 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,513 in Hearst versus $3,084 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Hearst is roughly 82% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hearst is 76% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.21 CA$24.08

$11.73 MX$202

46.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 CA$96.7

$41.78 MX$719

65.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.26 CA$15.76

$10.41 MX$179

8.17%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.15

$3.61 MX$62.1

1.94%

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

$1.96 CA$2.74

$1.46 MX$25.06

34.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.42

$0.97 MX$16.70

78.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.43 CA$7.60

$2.92 MX$50.3

85.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 CA$8.02

$4.62 MX$79.5

24.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CA$2.97

$1.43 MX$24.59

48.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 CA$3.69

$1.90 MX$32.70

38.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.11

$1.57 MX$26.95

132.48%

Eggs

$3.47 CA$4.86

$2.64 MX$45.34

31.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 CA$15.35

$8.44 MX$145

29.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.52 CA$16.12

$8.58 MX$148

34.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 CA$20.57

$11.00 MX$189

33.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.96 CA$5.55

$2.70 MX$46.51

46.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.97

$1.51 MX$25.92

-6.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.27

$1.91 MX$32.93

97.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.23

$2.17 MX$37.37

72.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 CA$3.52

$1.87 MX$32.25

34.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.46

$2.23 MX$38.43

10.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CA$3.62

$1.08 MX$18.60

139.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.50

$1.07 MX$18.47

66.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.01 CA$19.61

$4.16 MX$71.6

236.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.89 CA$18.04

$10.29 MX$177

25.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 CA$3.94

$1.68 MX$28.95

67.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CA$4.25

$2.53 MX$43.59

20.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 CA$3.34

$0.55 MX$9.53

332.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 CA$88.4

$26.29 MX$452

140.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 CA$4.48

$3.20 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$2.46 MX$42.37

-41.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.90 CA$36.25

$3.20 MX$55.0

709.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$1.32 MX$22.72

-11.36%

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

$25.1K CA$35.1K

$30.2K MX$518.8K

-16.75%

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

$20.6K CA$28.8K

$23.4K MX$402.5K

-12.04%

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

$145 CA$203

$81.4 MX$1,400

78.29%

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

$43.07 CA$60.3

$22.41 MX$386

92.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 CA$87.3

$29.97 MX$516

108.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.20 CA$59.1

$51.6 MX$887

-18.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.97 CA$20.96

$18.39 MX$316

-18.60%

Cinema Ticket

$11.59 CA$16.22

$5.16 MX$88.9

124.61%

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

$724 CA$1,013

$202 MX$3,471

258.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.3K

$5,311 MX$91.4K

119.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CA$76.9

$35.61 MX$613

54.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.98 CA$54.6

$40.37 MX$695

-3.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 CA$120

$78.6 MX$1,353

9.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$153

$86.9 MX$1,495

25.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 CA$1,858

$950 MX$16.3K

39.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 CA$1,666

$478 MX$8,227

148.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,848

$1,621 MX$27.9K

25.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 CA$2,509

$1,223 MX$21.0K

46.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,997 CA$5,594

$4,009 MX$69.0K

-0.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,520 CA$4,927

$6,473 MX$111.4K

-45.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,236 CA$4,530

$673 MX$11.6K

380.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

11.42

-43.43%

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

Last update for Hearst: June 16, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,328 in Hearst and $950 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hearst pays 381% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Hearst vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $363 vs $254 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

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

Hearst and Playa del Carmen differ by about 82% in total monthly costs ($2,352 vs $1,294 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Hearst pays 381% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,328 in Hearst versus $950 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $724 in Hearst versus $202 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Hearst. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,352 in Hearst, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Hearst. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in Hearst. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.