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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $345 in Ho.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $562 in Ho.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $780 in Ho.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 268% more expensive than 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

$11.87 MX$204

$2.94 GHS 32.34

303.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$9.87 GHS 109

334.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.97 GHS 43.70

168.26%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.48 GHS 16.29

133.11%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.50 GHS 5.50

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.30 GHS 3.31

216.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$0.47 GHS 5.19

544.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$0.79 GHS 8.73

483.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.15 GHS 12.63

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.51 GHS 5.60

262.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.76 GHS 8.41

111.84%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.38 GHS 26.23

8.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$10.99 GHS 121

-24.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.26 GHS 46.91

96.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$5.28 GHS 58.1

101.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.18 GHS 23.97

20.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.95 GHS 10.46

56.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.93 GHS 10.18

106.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.99 GHS 10.94

111.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.99 GHS 21.85

-6.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.92 GHS 10.15

145.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.28 GHS 3.05

278.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.50 GHS 5.52

118.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$1.57 GHS 17.31

164.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$7.07 GHS 77.7

46.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.56 GHS 6.17

207.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.16 GHS 12.73

125.00%

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

$1.55 GHS 17.08

101.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.16 GHS 12.75

116.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$5.47 GHS 60.1

-42.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.94 GHS 10.39

35.11%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$5,906 GHS 65.0K

414.30%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$7,919 GHS 87.1K

197.57%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$24.51 GHS 270

238.64%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$13.01 GHS 143

74.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$14.55 GHS 160

102.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$9.52 GHS 105

-48.21%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$73.5 GHS 809

168.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$7,960 GHS 87.6K

-33.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$14.77 GHS 162

149.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$18.81 GHS 207

112.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$29.52 GHS 325

171.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$41.79 GHS 460

114.09%

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

25.4

-55.04%

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 Ho: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $10.00 in Ho for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $159 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 268% in total monthly costs ($1,271 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 $1,906 in Playa del Carmen and $517 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 $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $73.5 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $345 in Ho versus $1,271 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 268% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.