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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,275 per month in Hengelo vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,458 per month in Hengelo vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,641 per month in Hengelo vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Hengelo costs about 75% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Hengelo sits 70% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hengelo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.58 €17.73
$11.73 MX$203
75.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$86.6 €74.6
$41.62 MX$721
108.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.85 €11.93
$10.64 MX$184
30.17%
Cappuccino
$3.98 €3.43
$3.52 MX$61.0
13.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.08 €3.52
$1.51 MX$26.17
170.20%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 €2.37
$0.97 MX$16.87
184.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.91 €5.95
$2.95 MX$51.1
134.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.88 €5.06
$4.45 MX$77.2
32.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hengelo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.26 €1.08
$1.38 MX$23.97
-8.70%
White Bread (500g)
$2.23 €1.92
$1.89 MX$32.78
17.99%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.01 €2.60
$1.64 MX$28.37
83.54%
Eggs
$4.55 €3.91
$2.51 MX$43.42
81.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.18 €12.21
$8.34 MX$145
70.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.20 €13.09
$8.34 MX$145
82.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.09 €14.72
$10.73 MX$186
59.27%
Apples (1kg)
$2.44 €2.10
$2.60 MX$45.12
-6.15%
Banana (1kg)
$2.54 €2.18
$1.46 MX$25.25
73.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.02 €1.74
$1.90 MX$32.94
6.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.88 €3.35
$2.08 MX$35.98
86.54%
Potato (1kg)
$1.95 €1.68
$1.78 MX$30.77
9.55%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 €1.67
$2.19 MX$37.87
-11.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 €1.06
$1.04 MX$18.02
18.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.73 €0.63
$1.08 MX$18.66
-32.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.03 €12.08
$4.08 MX$70.7
243.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.29 €6.28
$10.32 MX$179
-29.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.43 €1.23
$1.71 MX$29.67
-16.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 €2.27
$2.58 MX$44.63
2.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Hengelo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$5.29 €4.55
$0.51 MX$8.83
937.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$94.0 €80.9
$26.46 MX$459
255.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.59 €3.09
$3.26 MX$56.5
10.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.41 €2.07
$2.49 MX$43.17
-3.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.15 €23.37
$3.25 MX$56.3
735.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.33 €2.01
$1.31 MX$22.65
77.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €29.1K
$30.3K MX$524.7K
11.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.6K €30.7K
$23.4K MX$406.0K
52.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hengelo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$286 €246
$82.9 MX$1,436
245.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.69 €22.98
$22.22 MX$385
20.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.43 €40.84
$29.34 MX$508
61.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hengelo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.79 €26.51
$51.6 MX$895
-40.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.49 €20.22
$18.32 MX$317
28.22%
Cinema Ticket
$16.11 €13.87
$5.07 MX$87.8
217.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hengelo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,096 €943
$201 MX$3,480
445.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.2K €9,607
$5,212 MX$90.3K
114.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hengelo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$113 €97.1
$36.92 MX$640
205.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.95 €39.57
$39.79 MX$689
15.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 €86.3
$78.5 MX$1,360
27.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 €112
$87.1 MX$1,509
48.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hengelo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,366 €1,176
$973 MX$16.9K
40.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$849 €731
$468 MX$8,105
81.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,888 €1,626
$1,641 MX$28.4K
15.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,515 €1,305
$1,221 MX$21.2K
24.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,767 €4,966
$3,946 MX$68.4K
46.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,723 €4,067
$6,498 MX$112.6K
-27.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hengelo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,776 €2,391
$664 MX$11.5K
318.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.39
11.42
-61.56%

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

Last update for Hengelo: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,366 in Hengelo versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 318% higher in Hengelo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Hengelo versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $249 – 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
Hengelo vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Hengelo and Playa del Carmen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,275 in Hengelo, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 75% apart. Hengelo costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Hengelo compared to Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,413 per month in Hengelo and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Hengelo and Playa del Carmen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 37% more in Hengelo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Hengelo and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap 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 $1,297, than in Hengelo at $2,275. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hengelo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Hengelo and Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,297 in Playa del Carmen to $2,275 in Hengelo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Hengelo or Playa del Carmen safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Hengelo 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, Hengelo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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