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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Hella vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,788 per month in Hella vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,958 per month in Hella vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Hella costs about 27% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Hella sits 20% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.32 ISK 3,401

$11.87 MX$204

130.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 ISK 18.0K

$42.90 MX$736

236.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.68 ISK 2,823

$10.65 MX$183

112.96%

Cappuccino

$6.15 ISK 765

$3.45 MX$59.2

78.26%

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

$3.35 ISK 417

$1.50 MX$25.81

123.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 ISK 316

$0.95 MX$16.28

167.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.72 ISK 1,583

$3.03 MX$51.9

319.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.15 ISK 1,388

$4.61 MX$79.1

141.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ISK 241

$1.38 MX$23.61

39.86%

White Bread (500g)

$4.19 ISK 522

$1.85 MX$31.70

126.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.67 ISK 457

$1.61 MX$27.65

127.95%

Eggs

$6.31 ISK 786

$2.59 MX$44.51

143.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.19 ISK 2,265

$8.26 MX$142

120.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.53 ISK 3,053

$8.37 MX$144

193.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.71 ISK 5,193

$10.66 MX$183

291.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ISK 418

$2.63 MX$45.12

27.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ISK 312

$1.49 MX$25.53

68.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 ISK 378

$1.92 MX$32.94

58.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 ISK 611

$2.09 MX$35.81

134.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ISK 459

$1.86 MX$31.88

98.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 ISK 301

$2.26 MX$38.81

7.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.19 ISK 397

$1.06 MX$18.23

200.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 ISK 247

$1.09 MX$18.67

82.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.60 ISK 1,693

$4.15 MX$71.2

227.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.47 ISK 2,922

$10.39 MX$178

125.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.72 ISK 463

$1.72 MX$29.59

116.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ISK 415

$2.61 MX$44.85

27.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 ISK 777

$3.13 MX$53.7

99.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 ISK 331

$2.51 MX$43.09

5.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.8 ISK 10.7K

$3.15 MX$54.1

2624.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.43 ISK 302

$1.27 MX$21.88

91.34%

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

$47.5K ISK 5.9M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

56.39%

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

$51.3K ISK 6.4M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

117.76%

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

$89.4 ISK 11.1K

$83.0 MX$1,425

7.65%

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

$27.68 ISK 3,446

$22.71 MX$390

21.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.5 ISK 10.6K

$29.46 MX$506

190.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$17.43 ISK 2,170

$4.93 MX$84.5

253.55%

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

$316 ISK 39.4K

$197 MX$3,386

60.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.9K ISK 3.7M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

466.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 ISK 17.5K

$36.90 MX$633

281.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 ISK 7,609

$39.89 MX$685

53.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$186 ISK 23.1K

$80.0 MX$1,373

131.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$271 ISK 33.8K

$89.5 MX$1,536

203.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.63

11.42

-15.67%

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

Last update for Hella: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $144 in Hella versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $597 vs $250 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,619 in Hella, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 27% apart. Hella costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Hella and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,619 in Hella and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Hella and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Hella at $1,619. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hella 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen to $1,619 in Hella. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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