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 $1,627 per month in Hella vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,850 per month in Hella vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,074 per month in Hella vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Hella costs about 29% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Hella sits 22% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.50 ISK 3,276

$11.72 MX$203

126.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 ISK 18.2K

$41.89 MX$725

250.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.27 ISK 2,753

$10.51 MX$182

111.89%

Cappuccino

$6.01 ISK 743

$3.59 MX$62.0

67.41%

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

$3.26 ISK 403

$1.51 MX$26.10

115.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 ISK 312

$0.92 MX$15.83

173.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.63 ISK 1,561

$2.96 MX$51.2

326.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.04 ISK 1,365

$4.41 MX$76.3

150.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ISK 240

$1.40 MX$24.16

38.57%

White Bread (500g)

$4.30 ISK 532

$1.88 MX$32.60

128.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 ISK 462

$1.56 MX$26.97

139.74%

Eggs

$6.40 ISK 791

$2.61 MX$45.14

145.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.20 ISK 2,250

$8.32 MX$144

118.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.23 ISK 2,995

$8.35 MX$145

190.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.93 ISK 5,183

$10.86 MX$188

286.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 ISK 398

$2.71 MX$46.93

18.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 ISK 314

$1.51 MX$26.04

68.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 ISK 375

$1.87 MX$32.41

62.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 ISK 612

$2.19 MX$37.89

126.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 ISK 439

$1.86 MX$32.14

90.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 ISK 286

$2.23 MX$38.59

3.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.13 ISK 387

$1.07 MX$18.48

192.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ISK 241

$1.09 MX$18.79

78.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.41 ISK 1,658

$4.19 MX$72.4

220.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.81 ISK 2,820

$10.43 MX$180

118.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 ISK 439

$1.66 MX$28.68

113.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ISK 416

$2.61 MX$45.19

28.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 ISK 803

$3.08 MX$53.3

110.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.61 ISK 323

$2.40 MX$41.61

8.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$84.9 ISK 10.5K

$3.13 MX$54.1

2613.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.47 ISK 305

$1.31 MX$22.69

88.55%

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

$48.2K ISK 6.0M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

61.66%

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

$52.6K ISK 6.5M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

125.74%

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

$88.7 ISK 11.0K

$81.3 MX$1,406

9.12%

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

$27.34 ISK 3,380

$22.56 MX$390

21.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.8 ISK 10.4K

$30.05 MX$520

178.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$17.86 ISK 2,208

$4.92 MX$85.1

263.01%

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

$317 ISK 39.1K

$201 MX$3,474

57.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.3K ISK 3.7M

$5,175 MX$89.5K

485.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 ISK 17.4K

$35.92 MX$622

290.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 ISK 7,748

$40.13 MX$694

56.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$181 ISK 22.4K

$79.7 MX$1,379

127.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$261 ISK 32.2K

$86.5 MX$1,496

201.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $147 in Hella versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $594 vs $252 – 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: $1,627 in Hella, $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 29% apart. Hella costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,440 per month in Hella and $1,890 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 $1,627 in Hella and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $317 per month in Hella and $201 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 $1,260, than in Hella at $1,627. 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen to $1,627 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.