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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $676 in Hargeysa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,015 in Hargeysa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,353 in Hargeysa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 92% more than Hargeysa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Hargeysa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Hargeysa 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.62 SOS 1,488

347.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$15.25 SOS 8,664

172.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.45 SOS 3,094

95.23%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.15 SOS 651

206.09%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.91 SOS 516

65.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.48 SOS 273

102.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$10.07 SOS 5,719

-70.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$10.13 SOS 5,756

-56.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.27 SOS 720

8.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.78 SOS 445

142.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.69 SOS 960

-2.96%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.75 SOS 1,561

-8.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$1.96 SOS 1,111

325.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.15 SOS 3,494

35.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$4.57 SOS 2,598

134.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$3.35 SOS 1,902

-22.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.96 SOS 1,113

-25.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.60 SOS 1,476

-26.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.84 SOS 479

147.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.99 SOS 561

79.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.36 SOS 773

61.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.52 SOS 297

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.76 SOS 429

42.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$0.97 SOS 553

320.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.27 SOS 152

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$29.45 SOS 16.7K

-10.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$3.02 SOS 1,713

7.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.88 SOS 501

182.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$7.06 SOS 4,011

-53.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.06 SOS 599

23.58%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$110 SOS 62.4K

-24.55%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$7.46 SOS 4,236

197.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$27.30 SOS 15.5K

7.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$35.11 SOS 19.9K

47.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$8.83 SOS 5,015

107.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$5.07 SOS 2,881

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

$201 MX$3,480

$36.97 SOS 21.0K

443.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$604 SOS 343.1K

762.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$22.63 SOS 12.9K

63.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$19.91 SOS 11.3K

99.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$19.83 SOS 11.3K

295.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$29.85 SOS 17.0K

191.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$187 SOS 106.1K

420.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$123 SOS 69.6K

281.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$444 SOS 252.0K

270.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$247 SOS 140.4K

393.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$4,939 SOS 2.8M

-20.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$269 SOS 152.6K

147.08%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Hargeysa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 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 147% 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 $149 – 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 92% 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,014 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $676 in Hargeysa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 11% 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 $676, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $676 versus $1,297 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.