😐A single person spends $1,637 per month in Hella vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,843 per month in Hella vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $4,048 per month in Hella vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐Hella costs about 27% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Hella sits 22% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Hella
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$27.19ISK 3,329
$11.94MX$208
127.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$147ISK 17.9K
$42.75MX$744
242.74%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$22.26ISK 2,726
$10.59MX$184
110.20%
Cappuccino
$6.27ISK 768
$3.62MX$63.0
73.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.29ISK 403
$1.47MX$25.54
123.81%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50ISK 306
$0.94MX$16.41
165.96%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$12.92ISK 1,583
$3.09MX$53.8
318.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$11.32ISK 1,386
$4.46MX$77.6
153.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hella
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.93ISK 237
$1.43MX$24.80
34.97%
White Bread(500g)
$4.36ISK 534
$1.88MX$32.79
131.91%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.61ISK 442
$1.63MX$28.34
121.47%
Eggs
$6.31ISK 773
$2.64MX$45.99
139.02%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.91ISK 2,193
$8.21MX$143
118.15%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$23.63ISK 2,893
$8.29MX$144
185.04%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$42.77ISK 5,238
$11.10MX$193
285.32%
Apples(1kg)
$3.24ISK 396
$2.65MX$46.14
22.26%
Banana(1kg)
$2.42ISK 296
$1.50MX$26.11
61.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.11ISK 381
$1.99MX$34.59
56.28%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.87ISK 596
$2.08MX$36.13
134.13%
Potato(1kg)
$3.64ISK 446
$1.79MX$31.11
103.35%
Onion(1kg)
$2.39ISK 293
$2.18MX$37.87
9.63%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.07ISK 377
$1.08MX$18.73
184.26%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.93ISK 236
$1.04MX$18.04
85.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.41ISK 1,643
$3.97MX$69.1
237.78%
Wine(Bottle)
$23.12ISK 2,832
$10.20MX$178
126.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.64ISK 445
$1.73MX$30.04
110.40%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.34ISK 409
$2.50MX$43.46
33.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Hella
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.52MX$9.02
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$26.97MX$469
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.51ISK 798
$3.14MX$54.7
107.32%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.52ISK 308
$2.40MX$41.80
5.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$86.3ISK 10.6K
$3.09MX$53.7
2694.17%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.57ISK 314
$1.27MX$22.16
102.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$48.2KISK 5.9M
$30.9KMX$537.3K
56.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$52.7KISK 6.5M
$23.3KMX$405.7K
126.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hella
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$89.3ISK 10.9K
$82.0MX$1,427
8.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.34ISK 3,348
$22.45MX$391
21.78%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$87.0ISK 10.7K
$29.66MX$516
193.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hella
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$51.9MX$903
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.67MX$325
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.63ISK 2,159
$4.97MX$86.5
254.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hella
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$318ISK 39.0K
$198MX$3,442
60.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$30.6KISK 3.7M
$5,273MX$91.7K
480.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hella
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$141ISK 17.3K
$36.34MX$632
288.50%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$60.6ISK 7,422
$40.05MX$697
51.31%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$182ISK 22.3K
$79.9MX$1,390
128.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$262ISK 32.1K
$88.9MX$1,547
195.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hella
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$963MX$16.8K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$465MX$8,086
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,596MX$27.8K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,209MX$21.0K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,942MX$68.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$6,448MX$112.2K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hella
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$720MX$12.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.63
11.42
-15.67%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Hella: April 28, 2026
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $147 in Hella versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $593 vs $251 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Hella vs Playa del Carmen: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
How do living costs in Hella and Playa del Carmen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,637 in Hella, $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 27% apart. Hella costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Hella compared to Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,456 per month in Hella and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city is more expensive overall: Hella or Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,637 in Hella and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Hella and Playa del Carmen?
Kindergarten costs $318 per month in Hella and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Hella at $1,637. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hella it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Hella and Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,287 in Playa del Carmen to $1,637 in Hella. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Hella and Playa del Carmen?
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.