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 $342 per month in Holetown vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $754 per month in Holetown vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,167 per month in Holetown vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Holetown is about 73% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Holetown and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Holetown 75% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.66 BBD 25.33

$11.60 MX$199

9.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 BBD 204

$47.11 MX$809

116.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.26 BBD 30.53

$11.88 MX$204

28.45%

Cappuccino

$4.54 BBD 9.07

$3.98 MX$68.2

14.07%

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

$1.52 BBD 3.04

$1.43 MX$24.49

6.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 BBD 2.55

$0.82 MX$14.16

54.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 BBD 3.89

$3.19 MX$54.7

-38.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 BBD 6.14

$6.79 MX$117

-54.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 BBD 3.40

$0.60 MX$10.30

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

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

$25.20 MX$433

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.7 BBD 161

$67.2 MX$1,154

20.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$12.34 BBD 24.67

$4.86 MX$83.5

153.91%

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

$224 MX$3,839

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,312 BBD 12.6K

$4,229 MX$72.6K

49.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Holetown: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Holetown versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the two cities.

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: $342 in Holetown, $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 270% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $512 per month in Holetown and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $342 in Holetown and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Holetown and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Holetown, where all-in costs run around $342, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $342 in Holetown to $1,266 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.