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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $427 in Homs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $639 in Homs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $850 in Homs.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 203% more expensive than Homs, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Homs 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.98 SYP 330

293.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$12.12 SYP 1,339

243.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.95 SYP 437

169.37%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$0.99 SYP 109

255.56%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.67 SYP 73.7

125.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.44 SYP 48.73

120.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$0.83 SYP 91.3

255.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$0.98 SYP 109

354.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.67 SYP 74.2

105.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.59 SYP 65.0

220.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.13 SYP 125

45.13%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.85 SYP 204

35.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$2.70 SYP 299

208.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.61 SYP 620

48.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.17 SYP 1,234

-3.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$0.67 SYP 73.9

288.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.42 SYP 157

2.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.48 SYP 52.8

295.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.32 SYP 34.88

550.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.57 SYP 62.5

212.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.66 SYP 73.0

231.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.37 SYP 41.38

181.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.58 SYP 64.2

86.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.51 SYP 167

170.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$3.68 SYP 406

180.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$0.88 SYP 97.7

94.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$0.98 SYP 108

163.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.02 SYP 113

219.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.02 SYP 112

144.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$1.54 SYP 170

111.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.26 SYP 140

3.97%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$18.3K SYP 2.0M

65.56%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$21.1K SYP 2.3M

10.89%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$104 SYP 11.4K

-19.95%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$6.05 SYP 669

267.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$14.71 SYP 1,625

99.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$10.15 SYP 1,121

408.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$4.88 SYP 540

275.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$2.93 SYP 323

73.04%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$43.65 SYP 4,823

360.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,825 SYP 201.7K

185.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$14.92 SYP 1,649

147.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$12.43 SYP 1,374

220.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$45.88 SYP 5,069

70.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$56.6 SYP 6,255

53.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$76.4 SYP 8,444

1172.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$35.68 SYP 3,943

1210.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$296 SYP 32.7K

454.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$49.82 SYP 5,505

2350.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$73.3 SYP 8,095

806.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.75

-16.95%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Homs: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $76.4 in Homs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 806% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Homs for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $135 per month, with Homs 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 Homs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Homs is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 203% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 806% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $76.4 in Homs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 85% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $427 in Homs – a 203% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $427 in Homs versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Homs but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Homs the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Homs is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Homs gentler on the wallet – expenses run 203% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.