Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Miguel Hidalgo and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living costs are similar in Miguel Hidalgo and in Playa del Carmen: $1,203 and $1,204 a month, rent and utilities included.

Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Miguel Hidalgo
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,203
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Miguel Hidalgo 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 Miguel Hidalgo and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,203 per month in Miguel Hidalgo vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Miguel Hidalgo $1,203
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $1,989 per month in Miguel Hidalgo vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Miguel Hidalgo $1,989
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $2,775 per month in Miguel Hidalgo vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Miguel Hidalgo $2,775
  • Playa del Carmen $2,959

Miguel Hidalgo and Playa del Carmen have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Miguel Hidalgo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Miguel Hidalgo 12% lower, Playa del Carmen 12% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Miguel Hidalgo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.81 MX$201
$10.92 MX$203
-1.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.0 MX$1,541
$43.37 MX$805
91.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.40 MX$156
$11.78 MX$219
-28.69%
Cappuccino
$3.53 MX$65.6
$3.81 MX$70.7
-7.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 MX$25.71
$1.28 MX$23.81
7.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98 MX$18.16
$0.78 MX$14.54
25.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.27 MX$42.07
$3.17 MX$58.8
-28.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.06 MX$113
$4.93 MX$91.7
22.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Miguel Hidalgo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 MX$29.16
$1.41 MX$26.12
11.35%
White Bread (500g)
$2.54 MX$47.10
$2.22 MX$41.17
14.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 MX$31.65
$1.42 MX$26.32
19.72%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$46.35
$2.52 MX$46.85
-0.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.93 MX$147
$7.26 MX$135
9.23%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.20 MX$171
$7.70 MX$143
19.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.20 MX$208
$12.69 MX$236
-11.74%
Apples (1kg)
$2.73 MX$50.7
$2.78 MX$51.7
-1.80%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 MX$27.98
$1.37 MX$25.41
10.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.87 MX$34.65
$2.55 MX$47.37
-26.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$33.23
$2.12 MX$39.43
-15.57%
Potato (1kg)
$1.98 MX$36.69
$1.94 MX$36.00
2.06%
Onion (1kg)
$1.86 MX$34.53
$1.89 MX$35.02
-1.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.38 MX$25.68
$1.15 MX$21.29
20.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12 MX$20.77
$1.18 MX$21.89
-5.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.36 MX$80.9
$4.30 MX$79.8
1.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.21 MX$190
$9.95 MX$185
2.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 MX$32.88
$1.58 MX$29.41
12.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 MX$57.3
$2.67 MX$49.60
15.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Miguel Hidalgo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.63 MX$11.64
$0.55 MX$10.28
14.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$32.17 MX$597
$26.62 MX$494
20.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.49 MX$46.20
$4.97 MX$92.3
-49.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.04 MX$37.96
$3.33 MX$61.9
-38.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.47 MX$176
$5.36 MX$99.5
76.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.40 MX$26.07
$1.44 MX$26.82
-2.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.7K MX$440.0K
$20.7K MX$383.8K
14.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$434.1K
$23.5K MX$435.8K
-0.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Miguel Hidalgo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$30.64 MX$569
$84.8 MX$1,575
-63.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21 MX$413
$23.41 MX$435
-5.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.43 MX$565
$28.66 MX$532
6.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Miguel Hidalgo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.70 MX$849
$57.1 MX$1,059
-19.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.26 MX$376
$28.91 MX$537
-29.92%
Cinema Ticket
$5.17 MX$96.0
$5.14 MX$95.4
0.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Miguel Hidalgo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$218 MX$4,042
$207 MX$3,836
5.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,856 MX$90.2K
$3,927 MX$72.9K
23.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Miguel Hidalgo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$73.8 MX$1,371
$43.35 MX$805
70.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.52 MX$734
$41.44 MX$770
-4.63%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.1 MX$1,691
$74.2 MX$1,378
22.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.2 MX$1,637
$89.3 MX$1,657
-1.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Miguel Hidalgo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$586 MX$10.9K
$980 MX$18.2K
-40.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$434 MX$8,054
$381 MX$7,072
13.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,041 MX$19.3K
$1,708 MX$31.7K
-39.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$749 MX$13.9K
$1,075 MX$20.0K
-30.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,919 MX$35.6K
$3,943 MX$73.2K
-51.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,123 MX$20.9K
$6,158 MX$114.4K
-81.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Miguel Hidalgo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$536 MX$9,958
$735 MX$13.6K
-27.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.31
11.45
-1.22%

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

Last update for Miguel Hidalgo: October 24, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Miguel Hidalgo
$434
Playa del Carmen
$381 12.2% $53
Groceries & Markets
Miguel Hidalgo
$264
Playa del Carmen
$255 3.6% $9.6
Eating Out
Miguel Hidalgo
$187
Playa del Carmen
$202 8.2% $15
Clothing & Footwear
Miguel Hidalgo
$132
Playa del Carmen
$112 15.1% $20
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Miguel Hidalgo
$83
Playa del Carmen
$137 64.3% $54
Sport & Entertainment
Miguel Hidalgo
$56
Playa del Carmen
$67 20.1% $11
Getting Around
Miguel Hidalgo
$47
Playa del Carmen
$50 6.5% $3.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $586 in Miguel Hidalgo versus $980 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 37% higher in Playa del Carmen. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83 in Miguel Hidalgo versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $255 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Miguel Hidalgo
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
02:31 2:31 AM
03:31 3:31 AM
1 h ahead of Miguel Hidalgo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
414,470
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18.57 MXN (100 MXN = 5.38 USD). 1 EUR = 20.79 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Miguel Hidalgo Playa del Carmen 1,270 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Miguel Hidalgo
  • 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
Miguel Hidalgo vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,805 per month in Miguel Hidalgo and $1,806 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 Miguel Hidalgo, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $586 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.
Is eating out cheaper in Miguel Hidalgo or in Playa del Carmen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $83 in Miguel Hidalgo and $43 in Playa del Carmen. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 17% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 enough for either Miguel Hidalgo or Playa del Carmen?
$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,203 in Miguel Hidalgo and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city suits remote workers better?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Miguel Hidalgo costs $1,203 versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Miguel Hidalgo. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Miguel Hidalgo vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?