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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,619 in Hella, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,788 in Hella, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,958 in Hella, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 21% cheaper than Hella, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Hella is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$27.32 ISK 3,401

-56.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$144 ISK 18.0K

-70.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$22.68 ISK 2,823

-53.04%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$6.15 ISK 765

-43.90%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$3.35 ISK 417

-55.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$2.54 ISK 316

-62.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$12.72 ISK 1,583

-76.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$11.15 ISK 1,388

-58.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.93 ISK 241

-28.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$4.19 ISK 522

-55.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$3.67 ISK 457

-56.13%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$6.31 ISK 786

-58.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$18.19 ISK 2,265

-54.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$24.53 ISK 3,053

-65.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$41.71 ISK 5,193

-74.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.36 ISK 418

-21.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.51 ISK 312

-40.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$3.04 ISK 378

-36.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$4.91 ISK 611

-57.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$3.69 ISK 459

-49.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.42 ISK 301

-6.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$3.19 ISK 397

-66.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.99 ISK 247

-45.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$13.60 ISK 1,693

-69.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$23.47 ISK 2,922

-55.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$3.72 ISK 463

-53.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.34 ISK 415

-21.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$6.24 ISK 777

-49.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$2.66 ISK 331

-5.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$85.8 ISK 10.7K

-96.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$2.43 ISK 302

-47.74%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$47.5K ISK 5.9M

-36.06%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$51.3K ISK 6.4M

-54.08%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$89.4 ISK 11.1K

-7.11%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$27.68 ISK 3,446

-17.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$85.5 ISK 10.6K

-65.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$17.43 ISK 2,170

-71.72%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$316 ISK 39.4K

-37.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$29.9K ISK 3.7M

-82.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$141 ISK 17.5K

-73.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$61.1 ISK 7,609

-34.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$186 ISK 23.1K

-56.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$271 ISK 33.8K

-67.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.63

18.59%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Hella: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $144 in Hella. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $597 – 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 Hella: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $1,619 in Hella – roughly 27% apart. Hella costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,428 in Hella. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,619 in Hella. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $316 in Hella. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Hella at $1,619. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hella it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,271 in Playa del Carmen to $1,619 in Hella. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hella makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.