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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,637 in Hella, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,843 in Hella, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,048 in Hella, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Hella is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$27.19 ISK 3,329

-56.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$147 ISK 17.9K

-70.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$22.26 ISK 2,726

-52.43%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$6.27 ISK 768

-42.26%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$3.29 ISK 402

-55.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$2.50 ISK 306

-62.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$12.92 ISK 1,582

-76.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$11.32 ISK 1,386

-60.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.93 ISK 237

-25.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$4.36 ISK 534

-56.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$3.61 ISK 442

-54.85%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$6.31 ISK 773

-58.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$17.91 ISK 2,193

-54.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$23.63 ISK 2,893

-64.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$42.77 ISK 5,237

-74.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.24 ISK 396

-18.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.42 ISK 296

-38.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.11 ISK 381

-36.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$4.87 ISK 596

-57.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$3.64 ISK 446

-50.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.39 ISK 293

-8.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$3.07 ISK 376

-64.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.93 ISK 236

-46.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$13.41 ISK 1,642

-70.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$23.12 ISK 2,831

-55.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$3.64 ISK 445

-52.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.34 ISK 409

-25.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$6.51 ISK 798

-51.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$2.52 ISK 308

-4.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$86.3 ISK 10.6K

-96.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$2.57 ISK 314

-50.58%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$48.2K ISK 5.9M

-35.91%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$52.7K ISK 6.5M

-55.80%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$89.3 ISK 10.9K

-8.17%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$27.34 ISK 3,347

-17.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$87.0 ISK 10.6K

-65.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$17.63 ISK 2,159

-71.81%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$318 ISK 38.9K

-37.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$30.6K ISK 3.7M

-82.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$141 ISK 17.3K

-74.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$60.6 ISK 7,420

-33.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$182 ISK 22.3K

-56.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$262 ISK 32.1K

-66.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

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

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Hella: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $147 in Hella. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $593 – 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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $1,637 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,456 in Hella. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,637 in Hella. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $318 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 $1,287, than in Hella at $1,637. 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen to $1,637 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.