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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $405 in Hama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $615 in Hama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $824 in Hama.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 210% more expensive than in Hama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Hama 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$3.54 SYP 430

238.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$11.93 SYP 1,449

250.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$2.56 SYP 311

319.92%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$0.79 SYP 95.5

343.04%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.88 SYP 107

64.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.48 SYP 58.4

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.59 SYP 193

85.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.45 SYP 298

84.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$0.52 SYP 63.2

175.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.59 SYP 72.2

211.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.23 SYP 149

27.64%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.87 SYP 228

34.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$2.97 SYP 361

178.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$3.74 SYP 454

125.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$6.02 SYP 732

77.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$0.92 SYP 111

183.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.81 SYP 220

-20.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.98 SYP 119

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.51 SYP 62.6

309.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.54 SYP 65.0

242.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.47 SYP 56.7

361.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.24 SYP 29.11

329.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.58 SYP 70.8

84.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$2.48 SYP 301

65.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$5.97 SYP 726

70.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$0.97 SYP 118

73.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.75 SYP 212

44.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.18 SYP 21.97

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.48 SYP 57.8

572.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.48 SYP 57.8

402.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$6.36 SYP 772

-49.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.47 SYP 178

-10.20%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$18.3K SYP 2.2M

62.56%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$21.4K SYP 2.6M

10.67%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$101 SYP 12.2K

-18.58%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$8.21 SYP 998

179.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$54.3 SYP 6,601

-44.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$3.53 SYP 430

1372.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$3.48 SYP 423

432.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$2.95 SYP 358

68.81%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$34.44 SYP 4,185

473.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$506 SYP 61.4K

955.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$9.87 SYP 1,200

260.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$25.30 SYP 3,074

59.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$44.15 SYP 5,365

78.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$20.32 SYP 2,469

337.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$90.9 SYP 11.0K

1707.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$65.7 SYP 7,983

1742.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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 13, 2026

Last update for Hama: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Hama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $122 per month, with Hama 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 Hama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Hama differ by about 210% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $405 including rent). Hama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,884 in Playa del Carmen and $608 in Hama 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 104% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $405 in Hama – a 210% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $405 in Hama versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hama but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Hama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Hama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 210% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.