Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Hua Hin Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Hua Hin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $873 in Hua Hin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,418 in Hua Hin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,962 in Hua Hin, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 48% more than Hua Hin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Hua Hin are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Hua Hin 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.04 ฿99.4

285.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$20.10 ฿657

107.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.74 ฿286

21.74%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.08 ฿67.9

69.23%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.65 ฿21.23

132.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.50 ฿16.47

94.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.97 ฿64.4

49.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.71 ฿121

19.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.48 ฿48.46

-6.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.92 ฿62.7

-1.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.12 ฿36.68

46.43%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.91 ฿62.5

31.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$13.46 ฿440

-38.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$2.80 ฿91.5

197.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$14.51 ฿474

-26.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.62 ฿85.6

-0.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.79 ฿25.86

84.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.87 ฿61.0

1.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.56 ฿51.1

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.67 ฿54.5

6.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.25 ฿40.98

75.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.76 ฿24.78

36.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.45 ฿14.79

140.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.71 ฿154

-13.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$14.74 ฿481

-29.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.65 ฿54.0

3.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.51 ฿115

-26.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.47 ฿15.45

8.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$12.35 ฿403

114.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.06 ฿34.48

207.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.75 ฿24.63

232.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$5.25 ฿172

-38.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.29 ฿42.29

1.55%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$20.3K ฿662.3K

49.31%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$21.2K ฿692.1K

10.57%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$72.2 ฿2,356

14.86%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$12.99 ฿424

71.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$22.69 ฿741

29.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$46.95 ฿1,534

9.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$5.38 ฿176

240.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$7.58 ฿248

-33.11%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$140 ฿4,581

43.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$19.8K ฿645.1K

-73.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$19.33 ฿631

91.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$24.16 ฿789

64.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$62.7 ฿2,047

25.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$57.9 ฿1,891

50.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$401 ฿13.1K

142.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$293 ฿9,566

59.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,017 ฿33.2K

61.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$666 ฿21.7K

83.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,897 ฿62.0K

107.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,470 ฿48.0K

341.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$478 ฿15.6K

38.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.17

85.09%

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 Hua Hin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $401 in Hua Hin. 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 39% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $20.00 in Hua Hin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $238 – making Hua Hin 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 Hua Hin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 48% more than Hua Hin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,310 in Hua Hin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $873 in Hua Hin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 114% less in Hua Hin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hua Hin, where all-in costs run around $873, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Hua Hin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hua Hin costs $873 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Hua Hin. 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.