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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,627 in Hella, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,850 in Hella, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,074 in Hella, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 23% cheaper than Hella, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Hella is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$26.50 ISK 3,276

-55.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$147 ISK 18.2K

-71.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$22.27 ISK 2,753

-52.81%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$6.01 ISK 743

-40.27%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$3.26 ISK 403

-53.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$2.52 ISK 312

-63.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$12.63 ISK 1,561

-76.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$11.04 ISK 1,365

-60.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.94 ISK 240

-27.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$4.30 ISK 532

-56.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$3.74 ISK 462

-58.29%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$6.40 ISK 791

-59.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$18.20 ISK 2,250

-54.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$24.23 ISK 2,995

-65.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$41.93 ISK 5,183

-74.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.22 ISK 398

-15.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.54 ISK 314

-40.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$3.04 ISK 375

-38.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$4.95 ISK 612

-55.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$3.55 ISK 439

-47.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.31 ISK 286

-3.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$3.13 ISK 387

-65.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.95 ISK 241

-44.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$13.41 ISK 1,658

-68.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$22.81 ISK 2,820

-54.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$3.55 ISK 439

-53.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.36 ISK 416

-22.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$6.49 ISK 803

-52.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$2.61 ISK 323

-8.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$84.9 ISK 10.5K

-96.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$2.47 ISK 305

-46.96%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$48.2K ISK 6.0M

-38.14%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$52.6K ISK 6.5M

-55.70%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$88.7 ISK 11.0K

-8.35%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$27.34 ISK 3,380

-17.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$83.8 ISK 10.4K

-64.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$17.86 ISK 2,208

-72.45%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$317 ISK 39.1K

-36.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$30.3K ISK 3.7M

-82.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$140 ISK 17.4K

-74.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$62.7 ISK 7,748

-35.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$181 ISK 22.4K

-55.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$261 ISK 32.2K

-66.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Hella: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $147 in Hella. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $594 – 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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $1,627 in Hella – roughly 29% apart. Hella costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,440 in Hella. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,627 in Hella. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $317 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 $1,260, than in Hella at $1,627. 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen to $1,627 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.