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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $679 in Hargeysa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,009 in Hargeysa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,339 in Hargeysa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 85% more than Hargeysa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Hargeysa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Hargeysa 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$2.65 SOS 1,506

352.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$15.02 SOS 8,532

178.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$5.58 SOS 3,169

92.65%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.15 SOS 656

204.35%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.95 SOS 538

52.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.48 SOS 274

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$10.18 SOS 5,781

-71.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$9.80 SOS 5,568

-53.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.34 SOS 760

6.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.72 SOS 409

155.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.66 SOS 943

-5.42%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.73 SOS 1,548

-8.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$2.02 SOS 1,148

309.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$6.09 SOS 3,457

38.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$4.53 SOS 2,570

135.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$3.41 SOS 1,936

-23.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.03 SOS 1,151

-29.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$2.70 SOS 1,535

-27.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.84 SOS 479

148.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$1.03 SOS 582

79.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.31 SOS 742

65.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.52 SOS 298

98.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.79 SOS 451

35.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$0.98 SOS 556

318.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.27 SOS 152

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$30.10 SOS 17.1K

-13.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$3.02 SOS 1,717

6.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.93 SOS 531

159.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$6.90 SOS 3,921

-53.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.00 SOS 570

32.00%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$112 SOS 63.5K

-26.67%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$7.48 SOS 4,249

206.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$27.10 SOS 15.4K

11.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$34.36 SOS 19.5K

51.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$9.08 SOS 5,157

104.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$4.91 SOS 2,786

1.43%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$37.39 SOS 21.2K

428.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$600 SOS 340.6K

789.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$22.07 SOS 12.5K

61.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$20.21 SOS 11.5K

99.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$20.29 SOS 11.5K

288.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$30.40 SOS 17.3K

192.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$187 SOS 106.2K

406.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$123 SOS 69.6K

286.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$448 SOS 254.5K

266.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$246 SOS 139.9K

391.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$5,019 SOS 2.9M

-19.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$300 SOS 170.6K

117.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-42.90%

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 Hargeysa: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $187 in Hargeysa. 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 118% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $15.00 in Hargeysa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $150 – making Hargeysa 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 Hargeysa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 85% more than Hargeysa, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,019 in Hargeysa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $679 in Hargeysa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 16% less in Hargeysa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hargeysa, where all-in costs run around $679, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Hargeysa 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. Hargeysa costs $679 versus $1,256 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 Hargeysa. 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.