Cost of Living Comparison Between Lihue, HI and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lihue, HI and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,061 in Lihue, HI versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,470 in Lihue, HI versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,880 in Lihue, HI versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lihue, HI is roughly 136% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lihue, HI is 128% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$46.28 $46.28

$11.73 MX$203

294.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.9 $79.9

$41.62 MX$719

92.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.41 $12.41

$10.64 MX$184

16.64%

Cappuccino

$6.85 $6.85

$3.52 MX$60.8

94.60%

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

$2.59 $2.59

$1.51 MX$26.09

71.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.97 MX$16.82

107.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 $4.08

$2.95 MX$51.0

38.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 $4.08

$4.45 MX$77.0

-8.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.38 MX$23.90

35.51%

White Bread (500g)

$6.75 $6.75

$1.89 MX$32.69

257.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.64 MX$28.29

74.39%

Eggs

$10.27 $10.27

$2.51 MX$43.30

309.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.33 $15.33

$8.34 MX$144

83.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.42 $15.42

$8.34 MX$144

84.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.91 $19.91

$10.73 MX$185

85.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$2.60 MX$45.00

81.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.46 MX$25.18

12.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.55 $8.55

$1.90 MX$32.84

350.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.74 $9.74

$2.08 MX$35.88

368.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.78 MX$30.68

58.43%

Onion (1kg)

$6.02 $6.02

$2.19 MX$37.76

174.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.62 $3.62

$1.04 MX$17.97

248.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.08 MX$18.60

94.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.82 $11.82

$4.08 MX$70.5

189.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.15 $14.15

$10.32 MX$178

37.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.71 MX$29.59

-1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.58 MX$44.50

-36.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.51 MX$8.81

286.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.4 $52.4

$26.46 MX$457

97.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 $3.56

$3.26 MX$56.4

9.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.49 MX$43.05

-33.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.89 $28.89

$3.25 MX$56.1

788.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.31 MX$22.59

6.87%

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

$29.4K $29.4K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-3.05%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

9.42%

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

$184 $184

$82.9 MX$1,432

122.29%

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

$30.52 $30.52

$22.22 MX$384

37.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 $55.7

$29.34 MX$507

89.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.21 $43.21

$51.6 MX$892

-16.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$9.24 $9.24

$5.07 MX$87.5

82.25%

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

$1,185 $1,185

$201 MX$3,470

490.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K $16.1K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

208.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 $51.5

$36.92 MX$638

39.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.67 $40.67

$39.79 MX$688

2.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 $86.9

$78.5 MX$1,356

10.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$87.1 MX$1,505

26.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 $1,987

$973 MX$16.8K

104.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,529 $1,529

$468 MX$8,082

226.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,613 $2,613

$1,641 MX$28.4K

59.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,197 $2,197

$1,221 MX$21.1K

79.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,926 $2,926

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-25.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,567 $2,567

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-60.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,007 $2,007

$664 MX$11.5K

202.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

11.42

-43.08%

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

Last update for Lihue, HI: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,987 in Lihue, HI and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lihue, HI pays 202% 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: $80.0 in Lihue, HI vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $538 vs $249 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

Lihue, HI vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 136% lower than in Lihue, HI. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Lihue, HI pays 202% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,987 in Lihue, HI versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,061 per month in Lihue, HI versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 136% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 98% less than in Lihue, HI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,061 in Lihue, HI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Lihue, HI. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,297 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lihue, HI and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 136% less than in Lihue, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.