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: $2,134 in Hellerup versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,122 in Hellerup versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,110 in Hellerup versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Hellerup is roughly 69% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hellerup is 60% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hellerup
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.20 DKK 151
$11.72 MX$204
97.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$116 DKK 757
$41.89 MX$731
177.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.88 DKK 90.5
$10.51 MX$183
32.06%
Cappuccino
$6.70 DKK 43.64
$3.59 MX$62.5
86.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.32 DKK 28.18
$1.51 MX$26.31
186.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14 DKK 20.50
$0.92 MX$15.96
241.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.25 DKK 60.3
$2.96 MX$51.6
212.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.84 DKK 51.1
$4.41 MX$76.9
77.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hellerup
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.00 DKK 13.03
$1.40 MX$24.35
42.86%
White Bread (500g)
$3.24 DKK 21.14
$1.88 MX$32.87
72.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.52 DKK 16.41
$1.56 MX$27.19
61.54%
Eggs
$4.84 DKK 31.57
$2.61 MX$45.50
85.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.76 DKK 89.7
$8.32 MX$145
65.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.67 DKK 69.5
$8.35 MX$146
27.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.04 DKK 105
$10.86 MX$189
47.70%
Apples (1kg)
$3.12 DKK 20.31
$2.71 MX$47.31
15.13%
Banana (1kg)
$3.31 DKK 21.56
$1.51 MX$26.25
119.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.54 DKK 23.06
$1.87 MX$32.67
89.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.65 DKK 36.83
$2.19 MX$38.19
157.99%
Potato (1kg)
$2.39 DKK 15.57
$1.86 MX$32.40
28.49%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 DKK 11.14
$2.23 MX$38.90
-23.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.22 DKK 14.50
$1.07 MX$18.63
107.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.01 DKK 6.56
$1.09 MX$18.94
-7.34%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.21 DKK 66.5
$4.19 MX$73.0
143.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.12 DKK 66.0
$10.43 MX$182
-2.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 DKK 11.70
$1.66 MX$28.91
8.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15 DKK 14.04
$2.61 MX$45.56
-17.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Hellerup
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.74 DKK 24.38
$0.54 MX$9.45
592.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$63.5 DKK 414
$26.16 MX$456
142.55%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.56 DKK 49.24
$3.08 MX$53.7
145.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.04 DKK 13.30
$2.40 MX$41.94
-15.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$60.7 DKK 396
$3.13 MX$54.5
1838.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.26 DKK 14.76
$1.31 MX$22.87
72.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.0K DKK 319.6K
$29.8K MX$519.9K
64.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$48.5K DKK 315.9K
$23.3K MX$406.8K
107.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hellerup
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$203 DKK 1,325
$81.3 MX$1,418
150.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.90 DKK 117
$22.56 MX$393
-20.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.12 DKK 268
$30.05 MX$524
36.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hellerup
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.7 DKK 337
$52.9 MX$923
-2.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.59 DKK 225
$18.39 MX$321
88.09%
Cinema Ticket
$20.13 DKK 131
$4.92 MX$85.8
309.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hellerup
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$592 DKK 3,860
$201 MX$3,502
194.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,913 DKK 38.5K
$5,175 MX$90.2K
14.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hellerup
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 DKK 667
$35.92 MX$627
184.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.72 DKK 233
$40.13 MX$700
-10.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$119 DKK 773
$79.7 MX$1,390
48.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$198 DKK 1,291
$86.5 MX$1,508
129.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hellerup
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$930 DKK 6,063
$978 MX$17.1K
-4.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$698 DKK 4,552
$470 MX$8,206
48.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,560 DKK 10.2K
$1,651 MX$28.8K
-5.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,834 DKK 18.5K
$1,203 MX$21.0K
135.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,045 DKK 32.9K
$3,953 MX$69.0K
27.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,287 DKK 21.4K
$6,607 MX$115.2K
-50.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hellerup
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$677 MX$11.8K
-
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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $930 in Hellerup and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $116 in Hellerup vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $368 vs $252 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 69% 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 and in Playa del Carmen?
You'd need roughly $3,201 in Hellerup and $1,890 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 compared to Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $930 in Hellerup versus $978 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 and in Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $116 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 $2,134 per month in Hellerup versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 69% 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 in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,134 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 $1,260 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 69% less than in Hellerup. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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