Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Hong Kong Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Hong Kong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,757 in Hong Kong, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,210 in Hong Kong, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,664 in Hong Kong, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 54% cheaper than Hong Kong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Hong Kong is 106% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$8.91 HK$69.7

30.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$725

$64.7 HK$507

-35.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$6.48 HK$50.8

60.49%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$5.17 HK$40.46

-30.17%

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

$1.47 MX$25.44

$1.29 HK$10.12

13.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.79

$1.09 HK$8.57

-16.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.5

$6.93 HK$54.3

-56.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$6.26 HK$48.98

-28.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.82

$3.13 HK$24.54

-55.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.91

$2.22 HK$17.40

-17.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.80

$2.03 HK$15.87

-20.69%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.49

$3.45 HK$27.02

-25.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$24.99 HK$196

-66.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$10.35 HK$81.1

-17.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$22.51 HK$176

-51.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.23

$3.56 HK$27.89

-23.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.90

$2.34 HK$18.30

-35.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.91

$3.90 HK$30.50

-49.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.68

$3.02 HK$23.68

-29.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.28

$2.28 HK$17.86

-18.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.65

$2.31 HK$18.08

-6.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.58

$1.69 HK$13.22

-36.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.17

$1.69 HK$13.26

-37.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$13.07 HK$102

-67.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$15.18 HK$119

-32.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.85

$1.84 HK$14.38

-9.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$2.73 HK$21.36

-8.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.74 HK$13.65

-68.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$63.9 HK$500

-58.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$3.79 HK$29.69

-18.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.64

$1.36 HK$10.66

80.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.0

$15.09 HK$118

-78.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.82

$3.11 HK$24.32

-59.49%

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

$30.2K MX$522.5K

$38.7K HK$303.1K

-22.08%

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

$23.4K MX$406.1K

$33.0K HK$258.4K

-28.96%

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

$84.0 MX$1,455

$234 HK$1,831

-64.08%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$18.22 HK$143

21.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$22.53 HK$176

31.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$76.8 HK$601

-31.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$8.74 HK$68.4

109.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$12.70 HK$99.5

-61.02%

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

$198 MX$3,436

$989 HK$7,747

-79.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$21.6K HK$169.4K

-75.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$74.2 HK$581

-51.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$38.99 HK$305

2.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$90.5 HK$709

-12.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,498

$143 HK$1,119

-39.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$2,205 HK$17.3K

-55.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,153

$1,587 HK$12.4K

-70.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$4,751 HK$37.2K

-66.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.0K

$3,003 HK$23.5K

-59.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.8K

$25.7K HK$201.4K

-84.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$113.9K

$16.0K HK$125.4K

-58.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$3,443 HK$27.0K

-79.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.97

187.66%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Hong Kong: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,205 in Hong Kong. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 382% higher in Hong Kong, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $65 in Hong Kong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $416 – 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 Hong Kong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, $2,757 in Hong Kong – roughly 119% apart. Hong Kong costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,135 in Hong Kong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $65.0 in Hong Kong. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $2,757 in Hong Kong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Hong Kong at $2,757. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hong Kong 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen to $2,757 in Hong Kong. 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hong Kong makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.