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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $479 in Homs versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $688 in Homs versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $897 in Homs versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Homs costs roughly 63% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Homs 65% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 SYP 369

$11.96 MX$203

-74.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.86 SYP 1,441

$47.38 MX$804

-74.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 SYP 558

$11.75 MX$199

-60.94%

Cappuccino

$0.45 SYP 54.4

$4.12 MX$70.0

-89.08%

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

$2.31 SYP 281

$1.40 MX$23.74

65.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 SYP 58.0

$0.91 MX$15.48

-47.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 SYP 236

$3.21 MX$54.4

-39.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 SYP 369

$7.07 MX$120

-57.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.66 SYP 80.3

$1.68 MX$28.44

-60.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 SYP 49.90

$2.15 MX$36.48

-80.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 SYP 137

$1.77 MX$30.10

-36.72%

Eggs

$1.54 SYP 188

$2.82 MX$47.76

-45.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.33 SYP 405

$9.20 MX$156

-63.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.97 SYP 483

$9.23 MX$157

-56.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.74 SYP 1,184

$12.64 MX$214

-22.94%

Apples (1kg)

$0.54 SYP 65.2

$2.95 MX$50.1

-81.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 SYP 146

$1.58 MX$26.79

-23.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 SYP 70.0

$2.22 MX$37.70

-73.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.29 SYP 35.53

$2.36 MX$40.09

-87.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 SYP 57.8

$1.99 MX$33.81

-75.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 SYP 90.7

$1.98 MX$33.58

-62.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 SYP 44.19

$1.24 MX$21.04

-70.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 SYP 52.7

$1.21 MX$20.55

-64.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.48 SYP 179

$4.60 MX$78.1

-67.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.85 SYP 468

$10.52 MX$178

-63.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 SYP 87.8

$1.69 MX$28.70

-57.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 SYP 353

$2.77 MX$47.06

5.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 SYP 27.98

$0.60 MX$10.22

-61.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.22 SYP 1,850

$29.70 MX$504

-48.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 SYP 119

$5.24 MX$88.8

-81.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 SYP 180

$3.65 MX$61.9

-59.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 SYP 245

$5.78 MX$98.1

-65.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 SYP 125

$1.54 MX$26.09

-33.12%

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

$15.0K SYP 1.8M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

-34.05%

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

$12.9K SYP 1.6M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-49.85%

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

$98.1 SYP 11.9K

$90.7 MX$1,538

8.23%

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

$6.67 SYP 811

$25.19 MX$427

-73.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.36 SYP 5,512

$31.75 MX$539

42.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.17 SYP 1,236

$68.8 MX$1,167

-85.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.34 SYP 649

$4.86 MX$82.5

9.88%

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

$65.8 SYP 7,990

$226 MX$3,828

-70.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$982 SYP 119.3K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

-76.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$4.92 SYP 597

$47.38 MX$804

-89.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.05 SYP 1,221

$43.45 MX$737

-76.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.8 SYP 7,266

$80.2 MX$1,361

-25.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.81 SYP 3,744

$91.4 MX$1,550

-66.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$49.94 SYP 6,068

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-95.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$34.35 SYP 4,174

$409 MX$6,933

-91.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$102 SYP 12.4K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-94.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$56.1 SYP 6,816

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-95.62%

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)

$73.8 SYP 8,964

$773 MX$13.1K

-90.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.25

11.45

24.45%

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

Last update for Homs: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $49.94 in Homs and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 948% 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: $12.00 in Homs vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $121 vs $278 per month, with Homs cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Homs is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 172% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 948% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $49.94 in Homs versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $65.8 in Homs versus $226 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 130% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $479 in Homs versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Homs but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Homs the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Homs is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Homs gentler on the wallet – expenses run 172% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.