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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,143 in Cholula, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,838 in Cholula, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,532 in Cholula, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 11% more than Cholula, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Cholula are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Cholula 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$11.53 MX$198

0.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$51.0 MX$875

-7.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$9.56 MX$164

24.27%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$3.44 MX$59.1

15.70%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$1.67 MX$28.64

-14.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$1.20 MX$20.53

-31.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$3.00 MX$51.6

6.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$4.95 MX$84.9

37.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.91 MX$32.82

-12.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$3.27 MX$56.1

-32.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$2.02 MX$34.72

-15.35%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$2.90 MX$49.80

-5.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$6.82 MX$117

40.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.94 MX$102

51.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$11.80 MX$203

8.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$2.79 MX$47.94

3.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.82 MX$31.16

-17.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$2.06 MX$35.33

4.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$2.09 MX$35.82

8.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$2.05 MX$35.16

-3.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$1.91 MX$32.87

4.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$1.55 MX$26.69

-20.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$1.31 MX$22.45

-8.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$4.99 MX$85.7

-8.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$14.41 MX$247

-28.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$1.57 MX$26.88

3.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$2.74 MX$47.05

5.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$0.52 MX$8.92

15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$20.43 MX$351

40.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$3.58 MX$61.4

50.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$2.69 MX$46.15

38.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$16.80 MX$288

-65.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.59 MX$27.36

-3.14%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$22.5K MX$386.1K

0.23%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$25.8K MX$442.3K

1.12%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$64.4 MX$1,105

42.00%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$20.67 MX$355

21.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$25.76 MX$442

21.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$78.5 MX$1,347

-14.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$21.43 MX$368

35.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$5.85 MX$100

-16.92%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$284 MX$4,872

-21.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$4,989 MX$85.6K

-15.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$55.4 MX$950

-14.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$47.56 MX$816

-6.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$107 MX$1,831

-24.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$106 MX$1,822

-12.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$458 MX$7,867

131.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$309 MX$5,299

26.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$636 MX$10.9K

237.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$514 MX$8,815

147.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$1,926 MX$33.1K

107.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$1,230 MX$21.1K

428.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$859 MX$14.7K

-11.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.96

4.47%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Cholula: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $458 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 13% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $51.0 in Cholula. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $275 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 11% 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,715 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $51.0 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,143 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 $1,143, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $1,143 versus $1,266 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.