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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $680 in Choloma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,141 in Choloma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,603 in Choloma.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 87% more expensive than Choloma, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Choloma 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$5.66 HNL 151

109.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$37.07 HNL 988

15.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$7.47 HNL 199

42.57%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$2.39 HNL 63.6

44.35%

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

$1.50 MX$26.27

$0.96 HNL 25.59

56.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.57

$1.14 HNL 30.33

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.9

$1.17 HNL 31.20

158.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.5

$2.68 HNL 71.3

72.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.03

$1.40 HNL 37.38

-1.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.27

$2.14 HNL 57.1

-13.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.14

$1.27 HNL 33.88

26.77%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.30

$2.13 HNL 56.8

21.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$6.13 HNL 164

34.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$3.76 HNL 100

122.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$7.86 HNL 209

35.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.93

$2.85 HNL 76.0

-7.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.99

$1.50 HNL 39.89

-0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.53

$1.51 HNL 40.38

27.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.44

$1.56 HNL 41.59

33.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.44

$1.60 HNL 42.67

16.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.50

$1.40 HNL 37.44

61.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.56

$0.88 HNL 23.55

20.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$19.00

$1.64 HNL 43.70

-33.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.5

$2.44 HNL 65.2

70.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$182

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.12

$1.36 HNL 36.15

26.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.64

$1.86 HNL 49.45

40.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

$0.61 HNL 16.33

-11.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$471

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$4.35 HNL 116

-28.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.85

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.27

$1.02 HNL 27.21

24.51%

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

$30.4K MX$530.6K

$18.8K HNL 502.4K

61.15%

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

$23.6K MX$411.7K

$19.0K HNL 507.1K

23.86%

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

$83.0 MX$1,450

$81.5 HNL 2,173

1.82%

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

$22.71 MX$397

$8.88 HNL 237

155.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$515

$41.20 HNL 1,098

-28.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$891

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$5.85 HNL 156

-15.73%

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

$197 MX$3,447

$252 HNL 6,722

-21.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$645

$45.63 HNL 1,216

-19.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$697

$35.64 HNL 950

11.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,398

$111 HNL 2,949

-27.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,563

$102 HNL 2,727

-12.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$109 HNL 2,900

778.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,334

$99.4 HNL 2,649

380.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.8K

$343 HNL 9,145

379.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

$297 HNL 7,912

312.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-4.83%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Choloma: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $109 in Choloma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $37.00 in Choloma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $188 per month, with Choloma 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

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

Choloma is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 87% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,906 in Playa del Carmen and $1,019 in Choloma to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $109 in Choloma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $680 in Choloma – a 87% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $680 in Choloma versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Choloma but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Choloma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Choloma 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Choloma 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 Choloma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.