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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $429 in Homs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $635 in Homs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $841 in Homs.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 193% more expensive than in Homs, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Homs 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$3.05 SYP 371

293.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$12.03 SYP 1,462

247.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$4.07 SYP 495

164.13%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.01 SYP 122

246.53%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.62 SYP 75.8

133.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.41 SYP 50.1

114.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$0.88 SYP 108

235.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$1.01 SYP 123

346.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$0.63 SYP 76.2

126.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.60 SYP 72.6

206.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.13 SYP 138

38.94%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.85 SYP 225

35.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$2.81 SYP 342

194.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$5.63 SYP 684

49.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$11.08 SYP 1,347

-3.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$0.63 SYP 76.3

314.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.37 SYP 167

5.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.52 SYP 63.2

276.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.31 SYP 38.24

574.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.57 SYP 68.9

224.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.61 SYP 74.4

255.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.38 SYP 45.74

171.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.59 SYP 71.4

81.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$1.54 SYP 187

166.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$3.80 SYP 461

167.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$0.83 SYP 101

102.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.02 SYP 123

148.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$1.01 SYP 123

219.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.99 SYP 120

143.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.47 SYP 179

119.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.23 SYP 149

7.32%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$18.2K SYP 2.2M

63.61%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$20.7K SYP 2.5M

14.34%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$101 SYP 12.2K

-18.45%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$5.90 SYP 716

288.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$15.08 SYP 1,833

99.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$9.87 SYP 1,199

426.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$4.90 SYP 596

278.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$3.09 SYP 375

61.17%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$43.94 SYP 5,339

349.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$1,835 SYP 223.0K

190.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$14.77 SYP 1,795

141.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$12.52 SYP 1,521

222.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$45.16 SYP 5,488

74.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$55.6 SYP 6,760

59.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$76.4 SYP 9,285

1139.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$35.14 SYP 4,271

1248.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$300 SYP 36.5K

447.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$49.52 SYP 6,017

2344.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$74.3 SYP 9,034

779.59%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Homs: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $76.4 in Homs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 780% 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 $134 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 193% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 780% 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: $947 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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $429 in Homs – a 193% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $429 in Homs versus $1,256 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 193% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.