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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $998 in Cholula, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,578 in Cholula, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,158 in Cholula, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 29% more than Cholula, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Cholula are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Cholula 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$12.39 MX$217

-3.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$46.84 MX$820

-8.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.78 MX$136

36.12%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.67 MX$64.2

-1.36%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.19 MX$20.89

23.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.92 MX$16.08

2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.34 MX$40.92

32.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$4.31 MX$75.4

3.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.50 MX$26.26

-4.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.68 MX$46.88

-29.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.57 MX$27.50

3.82%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.41 MX$42.16

9.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.98 MX$122

17.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.34 MX$111

30.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$11.13 MX$195

-0.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.48 MX$43.42

6.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.41 MX$24.67

6.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.72 MX$30.07

15.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.78 MX$31.22

16.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.74 MX$30.37

2.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.89 MX$33.10

15.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.28 MX$22.32

-15.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.10 MX$19.21

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$4.31 MX$75.3

-7.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$14.60 MX$256

-30.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.31 MX$22.89

32.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.81 MX$49.21

-11.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.64 MX$11.27

-18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$15.99 MX$280

68.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$3.08 MX$54.0

1.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.23 MX$21.55

95.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$10.54 MX$185

-70.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.31 MX$22.95

-3.05%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$19.7K MX$344.8K

56.72%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$20.3K MX$355.3K

14.84%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$63.3 MX$1,108

29.50%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$22.29 MX$390

0.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$25.16 MX$440

17.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$36.58 MX$640

41.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$15.78 MX$276

18.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.37 MX$93.9

-7.45%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$315 MX$5,508

-37.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,565 MX$62.4K

47.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$50.0 MX$876

-27.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$42.68 MX$747

-6.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$108 MX$1,895

-26.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$99.8 MX$1,746

-10.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$378 MX$6,609

155.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$255 MX$4,466

82.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$520 MX$9,097

207.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$391 MX$6,840

209.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,972 MX$34.5K

99.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,263 MX$22.1K

410.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$865 MX$15.1K

-16.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.25

1.51%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Cholula: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $378 in Cholula. 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 20% higher in Cholula, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $47.00 in Cholula. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $249 in Cholula – so Cholula wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Cholula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 29% more than Cholula, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,497 in Cholula. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cholula, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $47.00 in Cholula. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $998 in Cholula. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cholula, where all-in costs run around $998, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Cholula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cholula costs $998 versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cholula. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.