Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Hartsville, SC Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Hartsville, SC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,330 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,579 in Hartsville, SC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,336 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,671 in Hartsville, SC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,341 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,764 in Hartsville, SC.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 48% less than in Hartsville, SC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Hartsville, SC is 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$9.83 $9.83

32.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$44.35 $44.35

4.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$12.04 $12.04

4.57%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$4.06 $4.06

-1.48%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$2.28 $2.28

-37.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$2.34 $2.34

-65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$2.99 $2.99

2.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$7.88 $7.88

-13.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.18 $1.18

44.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$4.04 $4.04

-45.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$4.18 $4.18

-58.85%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$5.44 $5.44

-50.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$22.13 $22.13

-57.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$13.64 $13.64

-35.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$19.75 $19.75

-35.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$8.39 $8.39

-62.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$2.52 $2.52

-38.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$5.13 $5.13

-58.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$8.62 $8.62

-72.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$5.57 $5.57

-63.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$5.49 $5.49

-63.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$2.81 $2.81

-55.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$3.60 $3.60

-66.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$10.15 $10.15

-54.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$20.15 $20.15

-48.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$2.18 $2.18

-27.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$3.78 $3.78

-22.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$2.06 $2.06

-72.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$2.96 $2.96

79.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$1.22 $1.22

204.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$32.25 $32.25

-82.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$0.90 $0.90

72.22%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$35.0K $35.0K

-36.14%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$25.2K $25.2K

1.40%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$150 $150

-40.37%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$85.4 $85.4

-72.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$81.0 $81.0

-60.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$40.49 $40.49

69.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$13.93 $13.93

-63.68%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$1,400 $1,400

-84.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$28.0K $28.0K

-84.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$39.27 $39.27

17.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$46.86 $46.86

-5.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$50.9 $50.9

87.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$78.5 $78.5

17.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$1,586 $1,586

-32.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$1,314 $1,314

-70.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$2,537 $2,537

-21.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$2,089 $2,089

-37.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$2,789 $2,789

44.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$2,411 $2,411

174.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

6.07

91.10%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Hartsville, SC: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $1,586 in Hartsville, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $44.00 in Hartsville, SC. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $546, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Hartsville, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 94% lower than in Hartsville, SC. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,995 in Playa del Carmen and $3,869 in Hartsville, SC 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,586 in Hartsville, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 97% higher in Hartsville, SC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,579 in Hartsville, SC – a 94% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,330 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,579 in Hartsville, SC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Hartsville, SC. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,330 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 94% less than in Hartsville, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.