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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,101 in Hellerup.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,112 in Hellerup.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $6,124 in Hellerup.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 39% less than in Hellerup, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Hellerup is 57% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Hellerup
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94 MX$209
$23.10 DKK 147
-48.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$748
$115 DKK 734
-62.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 MX$185
$13.87 DKK 88.5
-23.65%
Cappuccino
$3.62 MX$63.4
$6.98 DKK 44.52
-48.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.69
$4.26 DKK 27.16
-65.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 MX$16.51
$3.09 DKK 19.69
-69.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 MX$54.1
$9.12 DKK 58.2
-66.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46 MX$78.0
$7.67 DKK 48.91
-41.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Hellerup
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.94
$1.99 DKK 12.72
-28.14%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.97
$3.25 DKK 20.72
-42.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 MX$28.50
$2.49 DKK 15.86
-34.54%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$46.26
$4.94 DKK 31.53
-46.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.21 MX$144
$13.71 DKK 87.5
-40.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.29 MX$145
$10.92 DKK 69.7
-24.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.10 MX$194
$16.13 DKK 103
-31.18%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 MX$46.40
$3.09 DKK 19.70
-14.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$26.26
$3.32 DKK 21.19
-54.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.79
$3.60 DKK 22.99
-44.72%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$36.33
$5.60 DKK 35.75
-62.86%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$31.29
$2.36 DKK 15.03
-24.15%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 MX$38.09
$1.77 DKK 11.31
23.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.84
$2.30 DKK 14.70
-53.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 MX$18.15
$1.01 DKK 6.43
2.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97 MX$69.5
$10.08 DKK 64.3
-60.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.20 MX$179
$10.40 DKK 66.3
-1.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 MX$30.22
$1.79 DKK 11.41
-3.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 MX$43.71
$2.11 DKK 13.49
18.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Hellerup
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.07
$3.80 DKK 24.25
-86.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.97 MX$472
$63.9 DKK 408
-57.81%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$55.0
$7.96 DKK 50.8
-60.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$42.04
$2.15 DKK 13.72
11.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 MX$54.0
$61.7 DKK 394
-94.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$22.28
$2.31 DKK 14.71
-45.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K MX$540.4K
$48.1K DKK 307.0K
-35.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$408.0K
$48.9K DKK 311.7K
-52.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Hellerup
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,435
$197 DKK 1,256
-58.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45 MX$393
$17.53 DKK 112
28.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66 MX$519
$41.95 DKK 268
-29.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Hellerup
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.9 MX$908
$51.7 DKK 330
0.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67 MX$327
$34.76 DKK 222
-46.29%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97 MX$87.0
$20.01 DKK 128
-75.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Hellerup
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,462
$597 DKK 3,809
-66.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,273 MX$92.3K
$5,975 DKK 38.1K
-11.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Hellerup
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34 MX$636
$102 DKK 648
-64.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05 MX$701
$35.29 DKK 225
13.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 MX$1,398
$123 DKK 782
-34.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,555
$193 DKK 1,232
-53.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Hellerup
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.9K
$922 DKK 5,880
4.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$465 MX$8,133
$704 DKK 4,489
-33.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,596 MX$27.9K
$1,523 DKK 9,714
4.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 MX$21.2K
$2,847 DKK 18.2K
-57.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,942 MX$69.0K
$5,022 DKK 32.0K
-21.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,448 MX$112.8K
$3,207 DKK 20.5K
101.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Hellerup
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$720 MX$12.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
4.19
172.55%

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 Hellerup: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $922 in Hellerup. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $115 in Hellerup for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $370 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 Hellerup: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Hellerup?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 63% lower than in Hellerup. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen vs Hellerup?
You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $3,151 in Hellerup to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen vs Hellerup?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $922 in Hellerup. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen vs Hellerup?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $115 in Hellerup. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Hellerup?
All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,101 in Hellerup – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or Hellerup?
At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,101 in Hellerup, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Hellerup. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Hellerup?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,287 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Hellerup?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Hellerup are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Hellerup. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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