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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,336 in Hearst.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,406 in Hearst.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,476 in Hearst.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 46% less than in Hearst, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Hearst is 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$17.18 CA$24.07

-31.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$70.5 CA$98.7

-40.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$11.07 CA$15.51

-5.06%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.70 CA$5.18

-2.97%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$2.04 CA$2.86

-25.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.71 CA$2.40

-46.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$5.44 CA$7.63

-45.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$6.00 CA$8.40

-26.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.17 CA$3.04

-35.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$2.72 CA$3.81

-30.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$3.63 CA$5.09

-57.02%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.39 CA$4.75

-23.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$11.24 CA$15.75

-25.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$11.54 CA$16.17

-27.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$14.97 CA$20.97

-27.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$4.14 CA$5.80

-34.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.36 CA$1.90

11.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$3.74 CA$5.24

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$3.72 CA$5.21

-41.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.52 CA$3.53

-26.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.54 CA$3.56

-12.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.64 CA$3.70

-59.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.77 CA$2.48

-38.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$13.70 CA$19.20

-69.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$13.68 CA$19.17

-23.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.89 CA$4.05

-42.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.06 CA$4.29

-14.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$2.33 CA$3.26

-76.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$63.7 CA$89.2

-58.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$3.24 CA$4.54

-4.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.49 CA$2.08

61.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$26.10 CA$36.57

-88.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.16 CA$1.63

12.93%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$25.3K CA$35.4K

17.92%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$20.6K CA$28.8K

13.40%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$143 CA$200

-43.09%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$44.36 CA$62.2

-49.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$62.6 CA$87.7

-52.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$41.69 CA$58.4

26.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$14.81 CA$20.75

24.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$11.46 CA$16.06

-57.07%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$733 CA$1,028

-72.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$11.9K CA$16.7K

-56.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$53.5 CA$74.9

-32.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$39.55 CA$55.4

1.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$86.0 CA$121

-7.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$106 CA$149

-18.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$1,325 CA$1,857

-26.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$1,200 CA$1,681

-60.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$2,034 CA$2,850

-18.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$1,838 CA$2,575

-34.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$3,673 CA$5,147

7.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$3,193 CA$4,474

106.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$3,185 CA$4,463

-78.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.46

76.78%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Hearst: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $1,325 in Hearst. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hearst pays 371% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $70.0 in Hearst for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $368 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Hearst: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Hearst differ by about 85% in total monthly costs ($1,260 vs $2,336 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 371% lower in Hearst. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,325 in Hearst. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $733 in Hearst. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Hearst. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,336 in Hearst, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Hearst. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Hearst. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.