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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,421 in Hastings, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,292 in Hastings, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,162 in Hastings, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 9% cheaper than Hastings, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Hastings is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$12.12 NZ$20.72

-1.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$83.7 NZ$143

-48.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$9.51 NZ$16.27

11.36%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.41 NZ$5.84

6.16%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.85 NZ$3.16

-20.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$2.05 NZ$3.51

-54.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$5.89 NZ$10.08

-47.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$7.28 NZ$12.44

-38.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.90 NZ$3.25

-24.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.04 NZ$3.49

-7.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.94 NZ$3.32

-15.98%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$6.16 NZ$10.53

-57.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$8.02 NZ$13.72

2.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$11.16 NZ$19.09

-25.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$12.63 NZ$21.61

-12.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.86 NZ$4.89

-7.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.13 NZ$3.64

-29.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.01 NZ$5.15

-33.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$4.80 NZ$8.21

-56.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.87 NZ$3.20

-4.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.47 NZ$2.51

48.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.17 NZ$3.72

-50.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.97 NZ$1.67

7.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$21.89 NZ$37.43

-81.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$9.69 NZ$16.57

5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$3.72 NZ$6.36

-53.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.84 NZ$4.86

-11.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$2.50 NZ$4.28

-79.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$61.4 NZ$105

-56.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$2.78 NZ$4.75

12.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.84 NZ$3.14

30.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$60.1 NZ$103

-94.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.67 NZ$2.85

-23.95%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$31.0K NZ$52.9K

-0.26%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$20.7K NZ$35.5K

12.42%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$155 NZ$266

-47.22%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$32.96 NZ$56.4

-31.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$51.8 NZ$88.5

-42.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$36.54 NZ$62.5

41.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$12.09 NZ$20.67

54.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$10.88 NZ$18.61

-54.32%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$806 NZ$1,379

-75.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$12.7K NZ$21.7K

-58.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$62.9 NZ$108

-42.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$53.2 NZ$91.0

-24.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$116 NZ$198

-31.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$135 NZ$230

-34.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$395 NZ$675

143.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$349 NZ$598

33.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,042 NZ$1,782

53.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$585 NZ$1,001

106.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$2,157 NZ$3,688

-66.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.94

64.55%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Hastings: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $395 in Hastings. 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 199% higher in Hastings, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $84.0 in Hastings. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $325 – 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 Hastings: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hastings costs about 10% more than Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,131 in Hastings. 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.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Hastings, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $84.0 in Hastings. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Hastings at $1,421. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hastings it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,287 versus $1,421 in Hastings. 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hastings makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.