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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $725 in Holetown, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,385 in Holetown, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,045 in Holetown, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 77% more than Holetown, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Holetown are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Holetown 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$12.57 BBD 25.13

-5.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$101 BBD 202

-57.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$15.20 BBD 30.39

-30.33%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$4.57 BBD 9.15

-20.79%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.48 BBD 2.95

-0.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.28 BBD 2.57

-26.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.96 BBD 3.92

57.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.01 BBD 6.02

48.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.94 BBD 3.89

-26.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.27 BBD 2.53

48.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$4.12 BBD 8.23

-60.44%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$6.97 BBD 13.93

-62.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$12.08 BBD 24.15

-32.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$12.33 BBD 24.65

-32.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$7.09 BBD 14.18

-62.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$7.56 BBD 15.11

-80.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$5.85 BBD 11.69

-65.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.49 BBD 4.98

-16.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$4.05 BBD 8.10

-55.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$3.02 BBD 6.04

-27.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.52 BBD 5.03

-57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$2.48 BBD 4.97

-58.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$1.73 BBD 3.46

-69.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$29.99 BBD 60.0

-89.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$39.96 BBD 79.9

-92.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

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

$22.45 MX$393

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$73.8 BBD 148

-29.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$12.59 BBD 25.17

-60.52%

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

$198 MX$3,462

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$6,273 BBD 12.5K

-15.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

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

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 Holetown: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $101 in Holetown. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $349 – 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 Holetown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $725 in Holetown – roughly 77% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,087 in Holetown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $101 in Holetown. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $725 in Holetown. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Holetown, where all-in costs run around $725, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Holetown it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen 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 $725 in Holetown to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Holetown. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.