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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $479 in Homs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $688 in Homs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $897 in Homs.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 172% more expensive than in Homs, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Homs 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$3.04 SYP 369

293.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$11.86 SYP 1,441

299.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$4.59 SYP 558

155.99%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$0.45 SYP 54.4

815.56%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$2.31 SYP 281

-39.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.48 SYP 58.0

89.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.94 SYP 236

65.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.04 SYP 369

132.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.66 SYP 80.3

154.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.41 SYP 49.90

424.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.12 SYP 137

58.04%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.54 SYP 188

83.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$3.33 SYP 405

176.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$3.97 SYP 483

132.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$9.74 SYP 1,184

29.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$0.54 SYP 65.2

446.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.21 SYP 146

30.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$0.58 SYP 70.0

282.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.29 SYP 35.53

713.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.48 SYP 57.8

314.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.75 SYP 90.7

164.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.36 SYP 44.19

244.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.43 SYP 52.7

181.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$1.48 SYP 179

210.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$3.85 SYP 468

173.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$0.72 SYP 87.8

134.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.91 SYP 353

-4.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.23 SYP 27.98

160.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$15.22 SYP 1,850

95.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.98 SYP 119

434.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.48 SYP 180

146.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$2.02 SYP 245

186.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.03 SYP 125

49.51%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$15.0K SYP 1.8M

51.62%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$12.9K SYP 1.6M

99.42%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$98.1 SYP 11.9K

-7.60%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$6.67 SYP 811

277.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$45.36 SYP 5,512

-30.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$10.17 SYP 1,236

576.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$5.34 SYP 649

-8.99%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$65.8 SYP 7,990

243.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$982 SYP 119.3K

327.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$4.92 SYP 597

863.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$10.05 SYP 1,221

332.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$59.8 SYP 7,266

34.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$30.81 SYP 3,744

196.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$49.94 SYP 6,068

2073.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$34.35 SYP 4,174

1089.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$102 SYP 12.4K

1836.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$56.1 SYP 6,816

2184.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$73.8 SYP 8,964

948.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

14.25

-19.65%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Homs: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $49.94 in Homs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 948% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Homs for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $121 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 172% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 948% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $49.94 in Homs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $226 in Playa del Carmen versus $65.8 in Homs. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 130% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $479 in Homs versus $1,305 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 172% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.