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: $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $699 in Choloma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,177 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,166 in Choloma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,095 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,633 in Choloma.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 80% more expensive than in Choloma, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Choloma 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$209

$5.78 HNL 155

106.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$733

$37.84 HNL 1,012

10.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$182

$7.82 HNL 209

33.25%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.4

$2.35 HNL 62.8

49.36%

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

$1.52 MX$26.50

$0.96 HNL 25.63

58.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.91

$1.14 HNL 30.46

-20.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$53.1

$1.14 HNL 30.46

166.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.4

$2.65 HNL 70.9

64.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.84

$1.39 HNL 37.17

2.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$32.00

$2.09 HNL 56.0

-12.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.57

$1.23 HNL 33.02

32.52%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.38

$2.04 HNL 54.7

24.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$150

$6.14 HNL 164

39.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$3.74 HNL 100

127.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$189

$8.16 HNL 218

32.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$48.14

$2.87 HNL 76.7

-4.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.10

$1.50 HNL 40.09

-4.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.97

$1.47 HNL 39.22

28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.93

$1.51 HNL 40.42

43.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.10

$1.59 HNL 42.60

11.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.87

$1.35 HNL 35.98

64.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.68

$0.85 HNL 22.70

25.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.87

$1.65 HNL 44.00

-34.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.5

$2.44 HNL 65.3

70.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$183

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.47

$1.34 HNL 35.77

29.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.11

$1.84 HNL 49.09

40.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.97

$0.57 HNL 15.36

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$56.1

$4.31 HNL 115

-25.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.73

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.96

$1.02 HNL 27.37

23.53%

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

$29.7K MX$518.8K

$19.1K HNL 509.8K

55.76%

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

$23.7K MX$413.9K

$19.5K HNL 522.4K

21.27%

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

$82.0 MX$1,434

$83.8 HNL 2,241

-2.11%

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

$22.73 MX$397

$9.09 HNL 243

150.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$514

$41.29 HNL 1,105

-28.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$322

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.2

$5.73 HNL 153

-13.96%

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

$202 MX$3,526

$252 HNL 6,736

-19.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$91.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$628

$45.43 HNL 1,215

-20.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$705

$36.56 HNL 978

10.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,396

$109 HNL 2,917

-26.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,561

$104 HNL 2,787

-14.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.6K

$108 HNL 2,897

775.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,132

$99.3 HNL 2,656

368.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.5K

$350 HNL 9,350

366.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

$297 HNL 7,943

301.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Choloma: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $948 in Playa del Carmen and $108 in Choloma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $38.00 in Choloma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $187 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 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,888 in Playa del Carmen and $1,049 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: $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $108 in Choloma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $699 in Choloma – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $699 in Choloma versus $1,259 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 80% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.