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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $345 in Ho.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $554 in Ho.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $764 in Ho.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 265% more expensive than in Ho, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Ho 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.00 GHS 35.03

290.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$10.00 GHS 117

318.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$3.86 GHS 45.04

172.28%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.43 GHS 16.66

151.05%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.51 GHS 5.96

196.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.30 GHS 3.53

206.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$0.47 GHS 5.46

529.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$0.80 GHS 9.30

451.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.16 GHS 13.50

20.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.51 GHS 5.92

268.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.75 GHS 8.70

108.00%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.29 GHS 26.78

13.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$10.92 GHS 128

-23.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.26 GHS 49.75

96.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$5.40 GHS 63.0

101.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.12 GHS 24.78

27.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.01 GHS 11.85

49.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.93 GHS 10.91

101.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.93 GHS 10.81

135.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.91 GHS 22.32

-2.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.02 GHS 11.89

118.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.28 GHS 3.25

282.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.48 GHS 5.57

127.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$1.58 GHS 18.47

165.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$7.14 GHS 83.4

46.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$0.56 GHS 6.49

196.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.14 GHS 13.33

128.95%

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

$1.59 GHS 18.63

93.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.20 GHS 14.06

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$5.47 GHS 63.9

-42.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.98 GHS 11.47

33.67%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$5,792 GHS 67.6K

414.64%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$7,771 GHS 90.8K

200.13%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$23.97 GHS 280

239.09%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$13.01 GHS 152

73.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$14.69 GHS 172

104.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$9.44 GHS 110

-47.88%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$71.5 GHS 835

180.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$8,026 GHS 93.7K

-35.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$14.74 GHS 172

143.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$18.68 GHS 218

114.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$28.66 GHS 335

178.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$42.10 GHS 492

105.37%

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

25.4

-55.04%

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 Ho: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $10.00 in Ho for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $158 per month, with Ho 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 Ho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Ho differ by about 265% in total monthly costs ($1,260 vs $345 including rent). Ho is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $518 in Ho 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.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $71.5 in Ho. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ho – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $345 in Ho versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ho but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ho 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Ho are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ho gentler on the wallet – expenses run 265% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.