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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,857 in Hamilton, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $9,118 in Hamilton, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $13.4K in Hamilton, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 73% cheaper than Hamilton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Hamilton is 252% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$202

$50.1 BMD 50.1

-76.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$801

$151 BMD 151

-68.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$16.91 BMD 16.91

-30.51%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$69.7

$6.22 BMD 6.22

-33.76%

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

$1.40 MX$23.66

$3.11 BMD 3.11

-54.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.43

$3.08 BMD 3.08

-70.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.2

$7.47 BMD 7.47

-57.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$9.09 BMD 9.09

-22.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.35

$4.54 BMD 4.54

-63.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.36

$8.49 BMD 8.49

-74.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.00

$5.45 BMD 5.45

-67.52%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.60

$7.60 BMD 7.60

-62.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$18.75 BMD 18.75

-50.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$156

$23.05 BMD 23.05

-59.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$27.43 BMD 27.43

-53.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$49.90

$12.87 BMD 12.87

-77.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.70

$6.57 BMD 6.57

-75.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.58

$7.06 BMD 7.06

-68.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$39.96

$3.96 BMD 3.96

-40.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.70

$6.94 BMD 6.94

-71.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.47

$3.09 BMD 3.09

-35.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$20.97

$6.46 BMD 6.46

-80.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.48

$3.58 BMD 3.58

-66.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$77.8

$17.93 BMD 17.93

-74.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$24.64 BMD 24.64

-57.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.60

$5.05 BMD 5.05

-66.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$46.91

$4.42 BMD 4.42

-37.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.19

$4.96 BMD 4.96

-87.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$502

$70.2 BMD 70.2

-57.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.5

$6.47 BMD 6.47

-19.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.7

$2.96 BMD 2.96

23.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.8

$71.4 BMD 71.4

-91.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.01

$2.42 BMD 2.42

-36.36%

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

$22.8K MX$385.5K

$37.2K BMD 37.2K

-38.64%

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

$25.8K MX$436.5K

$42.4K BMD 42.4K

-39.14%

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

$90.7 MX$1,533

$252 BMD 252

-64.08%

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

$25.19 MX$426

$150 BMD 150

-83.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$537

$164 BMD 164

-80.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,163

$185 BMD 185

-62.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$497

$14.90 BMD 14.90

97.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.2

$13.59 BMD 13.59

-64.24%

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

$226 MX$3,816

$1,299 BMD 1,299

-82.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$70.9K

$25.0K BMD 25.0K

-83.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$801

$90.6 BMD 90.6

-47.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$735

$69.7 BMD 69.7

-37.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,356

$143 BMD 143

-44.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,545

$130 BMD 130

-29.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$3,714 BMD 3,714

-70.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,910

$2,451 BMD 2,451

-83.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.3K

$8,589 BMD 8,589

-77.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$7,834 BMD 7,834

-83.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.4K

$15.0K BMD 15.0K

-73.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.4K

$9,099 BMD 9,099

-26.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$6,749 BMD 6,749

-88.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

8.63

32.68%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,714 in Hamilton. 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 773% higher in Hamilton, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $151 in Hamilton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $767 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, $4,857 in Hamilton – roughly 272% apart. Hamilton costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $7,286 in Hamilton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $151 in Hamilton. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $4,857 in Hamilton. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Hamilton at $4,857. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hamilton it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,305 in Playa del Carmen to $4,857 in Hamilton. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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