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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $704 in Ho versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,184 in Ho versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,664 in Ho versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ho costs roughly 46% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ho 49% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 GHS 92.4

$11.96 MX$203

-32.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 GHS 605

$47.38 MX$804

11.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.70 GHS 122

$11.75 MX$199

-8.94%

Cappuccino

$4.56 GHS 52.1

$4.12 MX$70.0

10.68%

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

$1.63 GHS 18.60

$1.40 MX$23.74

16.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 GHS 5.52

$0.91 MX$15.48

-47.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 GHS 21.11

$3.21 MX$54.4

-42.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 GHS 26.02

$7.07 MX$120

-67.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.81 GHS 43.51

$1.68 MX$28.44

126.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 GHS 19.94

$2.15 MX$36.48

-18.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 GHS 35.57

$1.77 MX$30.10

75.71%

Eggs

$2.75 GHS 31.38

$2.82 MX$47.76

-2.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.21 GHS 139

$9.20 MX$156

32.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 GHS 83.6

$9.23 MX$157

-20.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.02 GHS 114

$12.64 MX$214

-20.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 GHS 43.07

$2.95 MX$50.1

27.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 GHS 17.13

$1.58 MX$26.79

-5.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 GHS 20.44

$2.22 MX$37.70

-19.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 GHS 42.02

$2.36 MX$40.09

55.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 GHS 31.85

$1.99 MX$33.81

40.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 GHS 31.02

$1.98 MX$33.58

37.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 GHS 8.99

$1.24 MX$21.04

-36.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 GHS 7.10

$1.21 MX$20.55

-48.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 GHS 29.97

$4.60 MX$78.1

-43.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 GHS 84.7

$10.52 MX$178

-29.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 GHS 15.01

$1.69 MX$28.70

-22.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 GHS 27.32

$2.77 MX$47.06

-13.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.77 GHS 20.19

$5.24 MX$88.8

-66.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 GHS 14.77

$3.65 MX$61.9

-64.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 GHS 51.8

$5.78 MX$98.1

-21.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 GHS 15.49

$1.54 MX$26.09

-11.69%

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

$7,948 GHS 90.8K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

-65.14%

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

$9,946 GHS 113.6K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-61.47%

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

$75.5 GHS 862

$90.7 MX$1,538

-16.75%

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

$19.73 GHS 225

$25.19 MX$427

-21.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.14 GHS 504

$31.75 MX$539

39.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$13.30 GHS 152

$4.86 MX$82.5

173.66%

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

$465 GHS 5,315

$226 MX$3,828

106.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K GHS 208.9K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

336.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.58 GHS 166

$47.38 MX$804

-69.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.31 GHS 221

$43.45 MX$737

-55.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.50 GHS 428

$80.2 MX$1,361

-53.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.1 GHS 607

$91.4 MX$1,550

-41.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

26.75

11.45

133.62%

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

Last update for Ho: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $53.0 in Ho vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $278 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

Ho vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ho and Playa del Carmen differ by about 85% in total monthly costs ($704 vs $1,305 including rent). Ho is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,056 in Ho and $1,958 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.

Childcare runs $465 in Ho versus $226 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ho – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $704 in Ho versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ho but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ho the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ho 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.

Expats usually find Ho gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.