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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $706 per month in Holetown vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,377 per month in Holetown vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,049 per month in Holetown vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Holetown is about 44% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Holetown and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Holetown 47% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.72 BBD 25.44

$11.72 MX$203

8.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.9 BBD 198

$41.89 MX$725

136.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.02 BBD 30.03

$10.51 MX$182

42.91%

Cappuccino

$4.63 BBD 9.27

$3.59 MX$62.0

28.97%

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

$1.49 BBD 2.97

$1.51 MX$26.10

-1.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 BBD 2.54

$0.92 MX$15.83

38.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 BBD 3.93

$2.96 MX$51.2

-33.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 BBD 6.06

$4.41 MX$76.3

-31.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 BBD 3.92

$1.40 MX$24.16

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 BBD 2.52

$1.88 MX$32.60

-32.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.10 BBD 8.20

$1.56 MX$26.97

162.82%

Eggs

$6.96 BBD 13.92

$2.61 MX$45.14

166.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.90 BBD 23.81

$8.32 MX$144

43.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.55 BBD 25.10

$8.35 MX$145

50.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

Apples (1kg)

$7.10 BBD 14.20

$2.71 MX$46.93

161.99%

Banana (1kg)

$7.67 BBD 15.35

$1.51 MX$26.04

407.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.05 BBD 12.11

$1.87 MX$32.41

223.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 BBD 5.10

$2.19 MX$37.89

16.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.91 BBD 7.83

$1.86 MX$32.14

110.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 BBD 5.91

$2.23 MX$38.59

32.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 BBD 4.94

$1.07 MX$18.48

130.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 BBD 4.96

$1.09 MX$18.79

127.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 BBD 3.53

$0.54 MX$9.37

227.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$29.56 BBD 59.1

$3.08 MX$53.3

859.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.30 BBD 80.6

$3.13 MX$54.1

1187.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

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

$22.56 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.5 BBD 147

$52.9 MX$915

38.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 BBD 24.76

$4.92 MX$85.1

151.63%

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

$201 MX$3,474

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,195 BBD 12.4K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

19.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Holetown: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99.0 in Holetown versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $252 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $706 in Holetown, $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 79% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,059 per month in Holetown and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99.0 in Holetown and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $706 in Holetown and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Holetown, where all-in costs run around $706, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Holetown it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $706 in Holetown to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Holetown. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.