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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $411 in Hama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $620 in Hama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $829 in Hama.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 216% more expensive than Hama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Hama 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.53 SYP 390

232.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$12.23 SYP 1,351

240.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$2.49 SYP 275

327.31%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$0.73 SYP 80.6

382.19%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.89 SYP 98.3

69.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.48 SYP 53.5

102.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.64 SYP 181

79.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.46 SYP 272

80.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.49 SYP 53.9

181.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.63 SYP 70.0

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.28 SYP 141

28.12%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.84 SYP 204

36.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.03 SYP 335

175.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.83 SYP 423

117.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.17 SYP 682

73.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$0.93 SYP 103

179.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.81 SYP 199

-19.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.99 SYP 109

91.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.52 SYP 57.2

300.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.53 SYP 58.1

235.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.44 SYP 48.54

397.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.24 SYP 26.44

333.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.58 SYP 63.8

86.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.55 SYP 282

60.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$5.80 SYP 640

77.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$0.98 SYP 108

74.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.77 SYP 195

45.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.22 SYP 24.66

131.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.48 SYP 53.4

579.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.52 SYP 57.3

378.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$6.63 SYP 733

-50.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.47 SYP 162

-10.88%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$18.6K SYP 2.1M

63.12%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$20.6K SYP 2.3M

13.79%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$104 SYP 11.5K

-20.18%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$8.64 SYP 955

157.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$54.4 SYP 6,010

-46.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$3.44 SYP 380

1400.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$3.43 SYP 379

434.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$2.92 SYP 322

73.63%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$35.55 SYP 3,928

464.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$490 SYP 54.2K

962.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$9.89 SYP 1,092

273.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$25.28 SYP 2,793

57.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$45.23 SYP 4,998

73.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$20.11 SYP 2,222

333.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$89.1 SYP 9,840

1743.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$65.4 SYP 7,229

1766.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Hama: June 1, 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 $123 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 216% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $411 including rent). Hama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $616 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 103% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $411 in Hama – a 216% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $411 in Hama versus $1,297 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 216% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.