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: $429 in Homs versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $635 in Homs versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $841 in Homs versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Homs costs roughly 66% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Homs 68% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.05 SYP 371

$11.99 MX$210

-74.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.03 SYP 1,462

$41.78 MX$733

-71.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.07 SYP 495

$10.75 MX$189

-62.14%

Cappuccino

$1.01 SYP 122

$3.50 MX$61.3

-71.14%

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

$0.62 SYP 75.8

$1.45 MX$25.41

-57.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 SYP 50.1

$0.88 MX$15.52

-53.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 SYP 108

$2.95 MX$51.7

-70.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 SYP 123

$4.51 MX$79.1

-77.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 SYP 76.2

$1.43 MX$25.12

-55.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 SYP 72.6

$1.84 MX$32.23

-67.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 SYP 138

$1.57 MX$27.51

-28.03%

Eggs

$1.85 SYP 225

$2.51 MX$44.06

-26.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.81 SYP 342

$8.28 MX$145

-66.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 SYP 684

$8.43 MX$148

-33.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.08 SYP 1,347

$10.68 MX$187

3.75%

Apples (1kg)

$0.63 SYP 76.3

$2.61 MX$45.76

-75.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 SYP 167

$1.44 MX$25.22

-4.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.52 SYP 63.2

$1.96 MX$34.41

-73.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.31 SYP 38.24

$2.09 MX$36.74

-85.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 SYP 68.9

$1.85 MX$32.47

-69.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.61 SYP 74.4

$2.17 MX$38.02

-71.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 SYP 45.74

$1.03 MX$18.09

-63.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SYP 71.4

$1.07 MX$18.84

-44.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.54 SYP 187

$4.10 MX$72.0

-62.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.80 SYP 461

$10.17 MX$178

-62.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 SYP 101

$1.68 MX$29.38

-50.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 SYP 123

$2.53 MX$44.31

-59.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 SYP 123

$3.23 MX$56.7

-68.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 SYP 120

$2.41 MX$42.19

-58.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 SYP 179

$3.23 MX$56.6

-54.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 SYP 149

$1.32 MX$23.17

-6.82%

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

$18.2K SYP 2.2M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-38.88%

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

$20.7K SYP 2.5M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-12.54%

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

$101 SYP 12.2K

$82.0 MX$1,439

22.63%

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

$5.90 SYP 716

$22.95 MX$403

-74.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.08 SYP 1,833

$30.11 MX$528

-49.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.87 SYP 1,199

$52.0 MX$912

-81.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.90 SYP 596

$18.53 MX$325

-73.56%

Cinema Ticket

$3.09 SYP 375

$4.98 MX$87.3

-37.95%

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

$43.94 SYP 5,339

$197 MX$3,463

-77.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,835 SYP 223.0K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-65.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.77 SYP 1,795

$35.60 MX$624

-58.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.52 SYP 1,521

$40.33 MX$707

-68.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.16 SYP 5,488

$78.8 MX$1,381

-42.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 SYP 6,760

$88.9 MX$1,560

-37.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.4 SYP 9,285

$947 MX$16.6K

-91.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$35.14 SYP 4,271

$474 MX$8,314

-92.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$300 SYP 36.5K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-81.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$49.52 SYP 6,017

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-95.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$74.3 SYP 9,034

$654 MX$11.5K

-88.63%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $76.4 in Homs and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 780% 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 $134 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 193% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 780% 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: $76.4 in Homs versus $947 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 $429 per month in Homs versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 193% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $429 in Homs versus $1,256 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 193% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.