😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,537 in Hillerod versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,753 in Hillerod versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,969 in Hillerod versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.
🌍Living in Hillerod is roughly 96% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Hillerod is 85% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hillerod
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.09DKK 149
$11.71MX$199
97.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$103DKK 662
$46.59MX$792
120.28%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.03DKK 84.0
$11.65MX$198
11.85%
Cappuccino
$6.53DKK 42.15
$4.09MX$69.6
59.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25DKK 27.39
$1.37MX$23.35
210.22%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.57DKK 23.00
$0.83MX$14.17
330.12%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$8.49DKK 54.8
$3.35MX$57.0
153.43%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.61DKK 49.09
$6.91MX$117
10.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hillerod
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.10DKK 13.58
$1.73MX$29.35
21.39%
White Bread(500g)
$3.97DKK 25.59
$2.26MX$38.41
75.66%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.40DKK 15.45
$1.77MX$30.07
35.59%
Eggs
$4.96DKK 31.99
$2.73MX$46.43
81.68%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.73DKK 75.6
$9.18MX$156
27.78%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.66DKK 75.2
$8.92MX$152
30.72%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.03DKK 110
$12.60MX$214
35.16%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28DKK 21.16
$3.02MX$51.3
8.61%
Banana(1kg)
$3.81DKK 24.56
$1.57MX$26.69
142.68%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.85DKK 24.80
$2.13MX$36.12
80.75%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.41DKK 34.88
$2.26MX$38.48
139.38%
Potato(1kg)
$2.33DKK 15.05
$2.00MX$34.05
16.50%
Onion(1kg)
$1.54DKK 9.92
$2.06MX$35.08
-25.24%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.11DKK 13.64
$1.18MX$20.05
78.81%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.54DKK 9.94
$1.20MX$20.46
28.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.35DKK 60.3
$4.63MX$78.8
101.94%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.69DKK 69.0
$10.69MX$182
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82DKK 11.75
$1.62MX$27.52
12.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68DKK 17.31
$2.88MX$48.96
-6.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Hillerod
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.78DKK 24.38
$0.57MX$9.74
563.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$29.83MX$507
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.98DKK 38.60
$5.45MX$92.6
9.72%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.75DKK 11.30
$3.70MX$63.0
-52.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$63.6DKK 410
$5.98MX$102
963.88%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.31DKK 14.93
$1.55MX$26.40
49.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$52.2KDKK 336.7K
$22.3KMX$379.4K
133.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$56.3KDKK 363.0K
$25.9KMX$441.0K
116.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hillerod
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$173DKK 1,115
$89.1MX$1,515
93.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.86DKK 76.5
$25.04MX$426
-52.64%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$46.21DKK 298
$31.50MX$535
46.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hillerod
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$30.98DKK 200
$67.8MX$1,152
-54.29%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.92MX$491
-
Cinema Ticket
$20.29DKK 131
$5.05MX$85.8
301.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hillerod
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$758DKK 4,890
$225MX$3,823
237.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,300DKK 40.6K
$4,222MX$71.8K
49.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hillerod
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$121DKK 780
$47.44MX$806
155.00%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.45DKK 319
$44.98MX$764
9.94%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$157DKK 1,013
$82.0MX$1,393
91.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$195DKK 1,255
$92.1MX$1,565
111.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hillerod
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,569DKK 10.1K
$1,069MX$18.2K
46.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,175DKK 7,581
$405MX$6,888
189.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,265DKK 14.6K
$1,935MX$32.9K
17.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,758DKK 11.3K
$1,301MX$22.1K
35.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,179DKK 33.4K
$3,995MX$67.9K
29.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,290DKK 27.7K
$6,626MX$112.6K
-35.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hillerod
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,879DKK 25.0K
$749MX$12.7K
418.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.7
11.45
-67.69%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Hillerod: August 30, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Hillerod and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Hillerod pays 418% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $103 in Hillerod vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $389 vs $277 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
Hillerod vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Hillerod or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 96% lower than in Hillerod. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Hillerod or in Playa del Carmen?
Average pay runs 418% higher in Hillerod, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Hillerod compared to Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,569 in Hillerod versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Hillerod or in Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Hillerod. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Hillerod compared to Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $2,537 per month in Hillerod versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 96% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Hillerod or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,537 in Hillerod, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Hillerod. 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, Hillerod or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,293 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 Hillerod compared to Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Hillerod 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 96% less than in Hillerod. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.