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: $427 in Homs versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $639 in Homs versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $850 in Homs versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Homs costs roughly 67% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Homs 68% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.98 SYP 330

$11.73 MX$203

-74.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.12 SYP 1,339

$41.62 MX$720

-70.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.95 SYP 437

$10.64 MX$184

-62.88%

Cappuccino

$0.99 SYP 109

$3.52 MX$60.9

-71.88%

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

$0.67 SYP 73.7

$1.51 MX$26.12

-55.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 SYP 48.73

$0.97 MX$16.84

-54.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.83 SYP 91.3

$2.95 MX$51.0

-71.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 SYP 109

$4.45 MX$77.0

-77.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 SYP 74.2

$1.38 MX$23.93

-51.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 SYP 65.0

$1.89 MX$32.72

-68.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 SYP 125

$1.64 MX$28.32

-31.10%

Eggs

$1.85 SYP 204

$2.51 MX$43.34

-26.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.70 SYP 299

$8.34 MX$144

-67.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.61 SYP 620

$8.34 MX$144

-32.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.17 SYP 1,234

$10.73 MX$186

4.10%

Apples (1kg)

$0.67 SYP 73.9

$2.60 MX$45.04

-74.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 SYP 157

$1.46 MX$25.20

-2.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.48 SYP 52.8

$1.90 MX$32.87

-74.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.32 SYP 34.88

$2.08 MX$35.91

-84.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 SYP 62.5

$1.78 MX$30.71

-67.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 73.0

$2.19 MX$37.80

-69.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 SYP 41.38

$1.04 MX$17.99

-64.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SYP 64.2

$1.08 MX$18.62

-46.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.51 SYP 167

$4.08 MX$70.6

-62.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.68 SYP 406

$10.32 MX$178

-64.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 SYP 97.7

$1.71 MX$29.61

-48.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 SYP 108

$2.58 MX$44.54

-62.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 SYP 113

$3.26 MX$56.4

-68.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 SYP 112

$2.49 MX$43.09

-59.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 SYP 170

$3.25 MX$56.2

-52.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 SYP 140

$1.31 MX$22.61

-3.82%

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

$18.3K SYP 2.0M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-39.60%

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

$21.1K SYP 2.3M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-9.82%

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

$104 SYP 11.4K

$82.9 MX$1,433

24.92%

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

$6.05 SYP 669

$22.22 MX$384

-72.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.71 SYP 1,625

$29.34 MX$507

-49.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.15 SYP 1,121

$51.6 MX$893

-80.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.88 SYP 540

$18.32 MX$317

-73.36%

Cinema Ticket

$2.93 SYP 323

$5.07 MX$87.6

-42.21%

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

$43.65 SYP 4,823

$201 MX$3,473

-78.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,825 SYP 201.7K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-64.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.92 SYP 1,649

$36.92 MX$639

-59.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.43 SYP 1,374

$39.79 MX$688

-68.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.88 SYP 5,069

$78.5 MX$1,357

-41.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.6 SYP 6,255

$87.1 MX$1,506

-35.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.4 SYP 8,444

$973 MX$16.8K

-92.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$35.68 SYP 3,943

$468 MX$8,090

-92.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$296 SYP 32.7K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-81.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$49.82 SYP 5,505

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-95.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$73.3 SYP 8,095

$664 MX$11.5K

-88.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.75

11.42

20.40%

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

Last update for Homs: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $76.4 in Homs and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 806% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $135 vs $249 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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 203% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 806% less. 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: $76.4 in Homs versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 85% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $427 per month in Homs versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 203% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $427 in Homs versus $1,297 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 203% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.