Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hollywood, FL and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,215 a month against $3,320 in Hollywood, FL, rent and utilities included – about $25,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Hollywood, FL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,320
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,215
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hollywood, FL and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hollywood, FL and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,320 per month in Hollywood, FL vs $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Hollywood, FL $3,320
  • Playa del Carmen $1,215

A couple spends around $5,183 per month in Hollywood, FL vs $2,144 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Hollywood, FL $5,183
  • Playa del Carmen $2,144

A family of three spends $7,046 per month in Hollywood, FL vs $3,072 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Hollywood, FL $7,046
  • Playa del Carmen $3,072

Hollywood, FL costs about 173% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Hollywood, FL sits 148% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hollywood, FL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$29.42 $29.42
$10.97 MX$202
168.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$120 $120
$44.85 MX$825
168.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.17 $12.17
$11.92 MX$219
2.10%
Cappuccino
$5.46 $5.46
$3.80 MX$70.0
43.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.43 $3.43
$1.31 MX$24.12
161.83%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 $2.84
$0.86 MX$15.75
230.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.58 $7.58
$3.21 MX$59.1
136.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.87 $9.87
$5.01 MX$92.2
97.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hollywood, FL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 $1.15
$1.46 MX$26.81
-21.23%
White Bread (500g)
$3.81 $3.81
$2.33 MX$42.79
63.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.87 $5.87
$1.44 MX$26.52
307.64%
Eggs
$5.20 $5.20
$2.46 MX$45.26
111.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.65 $15.65
$7.70 MX$142
103.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.39 $16.39
$7.89 MX$145
107.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.18 $17.18
$12.80 MX$235
34.22%
Apples (1kg)
$5.18 $5.18
$2.92 MX$53.6
77.40%
Banana (1kg)
$2.29 $2.29
$1.42 MX$26.15
61.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.35 $4.35
$2.57 MX$47.17
69.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.45 $4.45
$2.14 MX$39.30
107.94%
Potato (1kg)
$3.20 $3.20
$1.95 MX$35.80
64.10%
Onion (1kg)
$3.28 $3.28
$1.94 MX$35.60
69.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.03 $3.03
$1.15 MX$21.16
163.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.57 $2.57
$1.22 MX$22.45
110.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.91 $8.91
$4.38 MX$80.5
103.42%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.89 $14.89
$9.85 MX$181
51.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.17 $2.17
$1.54 MX$28.27
40.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15 $3.15
$2.72 MX$49.93
15.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Hollywood, FL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.53 $1.53
$0.52 MX$9.65
194.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$70.4 $70.4
$27.42 MX$504
156.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 $3.02
$4.91 MX$90.4
-38.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.06 $2.06
$3.52 MX$64.8
-41.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.34 $24.34
$5.69 MX$105
327.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.00 $1.00
$1.54 MX$28.32
-35.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.6K $36.6K
$21.2K MX$390.5K
72.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K $26.7K
$24.5K MX$450.3K
8.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hollywood, FL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$143 $143
$83.6 MX$1,537
71.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$65.7 $65.7
$24.03 MX$442
173.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$74.5 $74.5
$29.33 MX$539
154.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hollywood, FL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.52 $41.52
$64.9 MX$1,193
-36.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$29.46 MX$542
-
Cinema Ticket
$16.74 $16.74
$5.09 MX$93.5
228.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hollywood, FL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,475 $1,475
$208 MX$3,819
610.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,441 $9,441
$4,045 MX$74.4K
133.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hollywood, FL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.3 $63.3
$44.55 MX$819
42.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.6 $50.6
$42.06 MX$773
20.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.2 $98.2
$75.5 MX$1,389
30.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 $116
$91.4 MX$1,680
26.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hollywood, FL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,258 $2,258
$986 MX$18.1K
128.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,818 $1,818
$385 MX$7,083
371.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,153 $4,153
$1,713 MX$31.5K
142.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,616 $3,616
$1,108 MX$20.4K
226.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,055 $9,055
$4,016 MX$73.8K
125.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,791 $4,791
$6,247 MX$114.9K
-23.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hollywood, FL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,599 $3,599
$758 MX$13.9K
374.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.63
11.45
-42.10%

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

Last update for Hollywood, FL: October 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Hollywood, FL
$1.8K
Playa del Carmen
$385 78.8% $1.4K
Groceries & Markets
Hollywood, FL
$460
Playa del Carmen
$260 43.4% $199
Eating Out
Hollywood, FL
$420
Playa del Carmen
$204 51.4% $216
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hollywood, FL
$284
Playa del Carmen
$137 51.7% $147
Clothing & Footwear
Hollywood, FL
$148
Playa del Carmen
$114 22.7% $33
Getting Around
Hollywood, FL
$90
Playa del Carmen
$52 42.1% $38
Sport & Entertainment
Hollywood, FL
$75
Playa del Carmen
$75 0.1% $0

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,258 in Hollywood, FL versus $986 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 375% higher in Hollywood, FL, 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 $120 in Hollywood, FL versus $45.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $460 vs $260 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Hollywood, FL
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
01:07 1:07 AM
00:07 12:07 AM
1 h behind Hollywood, FL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
167,664
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 USD = 18.39 MXN (100 MXN = 5.44 USD). 1 EUR = 20.61 MXN (100 MXN = 4.85 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Hollywood, FL Playa del Carmen 930 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Hollywood, FL
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Hollywood, FL vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Hollywood, FL?
Yes – Hollywood, FL is pricier by about 173%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,981 per month in Hollywood, FL and $1,823 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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 public transport?
Public transport costs about 157% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,475 per month in Hollywood, FL and $208 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Hollywood, FL or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,215, than in Hollywood, FL at $3,320. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hollywood, FL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Hollywood, FL or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hollywood, FL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Hollywood, FL vs other spots: cost of living compared

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