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 $1,694 per month in Hella vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,923 per month in Hella vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,152 per month in Hella vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Hella costs about 34% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Hella sits 24% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.93 ISK 3,645

$11.60 MX$200

158.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$137 ISK 16.6K

$47.11 MX$812

190.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$26.99 ISK 3,287

$11.88 MX$205

127.19%

Cappuccino

$6.87 ISK 837

$3.98 MX$68.6

72.61%

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

$3.25 ISK 396

$1.43 MX$24.60

127.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ISK 392

$0.82 MX$14.22

291.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.88 ISK 1,690

$3.19 MX$55.0

335.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.29 ISK 1,497

$6.79 MX$117

81.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 ISK 259

$1.68 MX$28.89

26.19%

White Bread (500g)

$4.32 ISK 526

$2.20 MX$37.88

96.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.69 ISK 450

$1.71 MX$29.45

115.79%

Eggs

$7.01 ISK 854

$2.74 MX$47.26

155.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.12 ISK 2,573

$9.58 MX$165

120.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.72 ISK 3,011

$9.01 MX$155

174.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.94 ISK 5,230

$12.81 MX$221

235.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 ISK 408

$2.89 MX$49.81

15.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 ISK 356

$1.50 MX$25.81

94.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.16 ISK 385

$2.15 MX$37.03

46.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.25 ISK 762

$2.26 MX$38.96

176.55%

Potato (1kg)

$4.13 ISK 504

$1.98 MX$34.15

108.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 ISK 202

$1.99 MX$34.30

-16.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.81 ISK 465

$1.23 MX$21.28

209.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ISK 214

$1.20 MX$20.63

46.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.87 ISK 1,690

$4.55 MX$78.5

204.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.10 ISK 2,936

$10.37 MX$179

132.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.79 ISK 462

$1.62 MX$27.91

133.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ISK 410

$2.88 MX$49.67

17.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 ISK 827

$5.39 MX$92.9

25.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.83 ISK 345

$3.73 MX$64.3

-24.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$74.9 ISK 9,118

$5.77 MX$99.5

1197.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 ISK 246

$1.54 MX$26.48

31.17%

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

$50.8K ISK 6.2M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

125.26%

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

$54.3K ISK 6.6M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

108.48%

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

$88.2 ISK 10.7K

$91.4 MX$1,576

-3.49%

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

$32.75 ISK 3,989

$25.20 MX$435

29.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.8 ISK 10.2K

$31.24 MX$539

168.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$19.68 ISK 2,396

$4.86 MX$83.8

304.94%

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

$1,190 ISK 144.9K

$224 MX$3,856

432.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K ISK 3.7M

$4,229 MX$72.9K

624.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$161 ISK 19.6K

$47.10 MX$812

242.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.1 ISK 8,170

$44.29 MX$764

51.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$182 ISK 22.1K

$80.1 MX$1,381

127.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$252 ISK 30.6K

$92.7 MX$1,598

171.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.88

11.45

-22.45%

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

Last update for Hella: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $137 in Hella versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $627 vs $276 – 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: $1,694 in Hella, $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 34% apart. Hella costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,541 per month in Hella and $1,899 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 $1,694 in Hella and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,190 per month in Hella and $224 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 $1,266, than in Hella at $1,694. 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen to $1,694 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.