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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,106 in Hellerup versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,152 in Hellerup versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,198 in Hellerup versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Hellerup is roughly 66% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hellerup is 57% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hellerup
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.08 DKK 149
$11.87 MX$204
94.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$117 DKK 752
$42.90 MX$736
172.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.00 DKK 90.2
$10.65 MX$183
31.46%
Cappuccino
$6.59 DKK 42.47
$3.45 MX$59.2
91.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.30 DKK 27.70
$1.50 MX$25.81
186.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17 DKK 20.44
$0.95 MX$16.28
233.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.13 DKK 58.8
$3.03 MX$51.9
201.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.60 DKK 48.95
$4.61 MX$79.1
64.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hellerup
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.99 DKK 12.79
$1.38 MX$23.61
44.20%
White Bread (500g)
$3.16 DKK 20.35
$1.85 MX$31.70
70.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.57 DKK 16.56
$1.61 MX$27.65
59.63%
Eggs
$4.86 DKK 31.28
$2.59 MX$44.51
87.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.56 DKK 87.4
$8.26 MX$142
64.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.70 DKK 68.9
$8.37 MX$144
27.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.82 DKK 102
$10.66 MX$183
48.41%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 DKK 19.43
$2.63 MX$45.12
14.83%
Banana (1kg)
$3.35 DKK 21.60
$1.49 MX$25.53
124.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.53 DKK 22.75
$1.92 MX$32.94
83.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.64 DKK 36.30
$2.09 MX$35.81
169.86%
Potato (1kg)
$2.38 DKK 15.35
$1.86 MX$31.88
27.96%
Onion (1kg)
$1.74 DKK 11.18
$2.26 MX$38.81
-23.01%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.26 DKK 14.58
$1.06 MX$18.23
113.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 DKK 6.09
$1.09 MX$18.67
-13.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.10 DKK 65.1
$4.15 MX$71.2
143.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.61 DKK 68.4
$10.39 MX$178
2.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 DKK 11.42
$1.72 MX$29.59
2.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15 DKK 13.86
$2.61 MX$44.85
-17.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Hellerup
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.68 DKK 23.71
$0.54 MX$9.30
581.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$64.5 DKK 415
$26.94 MX$462
139.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.66 DKK 49.31
$3.13 MX$53.7
144.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 DKK 13.17
$2.51 MX$43.09
-18.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$62.4 DKK 402
$3.15 MX$54.1
1879.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 DKK 14.16
$1.27 MX$21.88
73.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.0K DKK 315.5K
$30.4K MX$521.3K
61.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$48.1K DKK 310.0K
$23.6K MX$404.5K
104.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hellerup
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$196 DKK 1,264
$83.0 MX$1,425
136.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.91 DKK 115
$22.71 MX$390
-21.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.45 DKK 267
$29.46 MX$506
40.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hellerup
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.7 DKK 339
$51.0 MX$875
3.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$33.64 DKK 217
$18.33 MX$315
83.52%
Cinema Ticket
$19.77 DKK 127
$4.93 MX$84.5
301.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hellerup
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$605 DKK 3,898
$197 MX$3,386
206.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,773 DKK 37.2K
$5,280 MX$90.6K
9.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hellerup
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 DKK 655
$36.90 MX$633
175.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.26 DKK 227
$39.89 MX$685
-11.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$122 DKK 786
$80.0 MX$1,373
52.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$195 DKK 1,259
$89.5 MX$1,536
118.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hellerup
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$939 DKK 6,045
$956 MX$16.4K
-1.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$709 DKK 4,568
$477 MX$8,189
48.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,556 DKK 10.0K
$1,646 MX$28.3K
-5.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,790 DKK 18.0K
$1,225 MX$21.0K
127.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,439 DKK 28.6K
$3,918 MX$67.2K
13.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,570 DKK 23.0K
$6,459 MX$110.9K
-44.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hellerup
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$667 MX$11.4K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.19
11.42
-63.31%

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

Last update for Hellerup: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $939 in Hellerup and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $117 in Hellerup vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 vs $250 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
Hellerup vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Hellerup or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 66% lower than in Hellerup. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Hellerup vs Playa del Carmen?
You'd need roughly $3,159 in Hellerup and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Hellerup vs Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $939 in Hellerup versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Hellerup vs Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $117 in Hellerup. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Hellerup compared to Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $2,106 per month in Hellerup versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Hellerup or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,106 in Hellerup, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Hellerup. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Hellerup or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,271 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Hellerup compared to Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Hellerup and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Hellerup. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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