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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,239 in Humboldt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,168 in Humboldt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,097 in Humboldt.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 43% less than in Humboldt, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Humboldt is 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$10.90 CA$14.93

9.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$32.81 CA$44.96

30.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$9.78 CA$13.40

8.28%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.66 CA$5.02

-1.09%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$2.18 CA$2.99

-32.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.92 CA$1.26

2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$4.29 CA$5.88

-27.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$4.37 CA$5.98

2.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.64 CA$2.25

-12.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.85 CA$2.53

1.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$3.15 CA$4.32

-48.25%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.82 CA$2.49

45.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$11.46 CA$15.71

-28.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$11.70 CA$16.03

-29.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$17.80 CA$24.38

-37.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.65 CA$5.01

-27.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.59 CA$2.18

-5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$4.24 CA$5.81

-53.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$3.52 CA$4.83

-40.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$3.18 CA$4.35

-43.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.81 CA$3.85

-22.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.51 CA$3.44

-56.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$2.36 CA$3.24

-55.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$14.71 CA$20.15

-73.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$13.58 CA$18.61

-24.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$3.80 CA$5.21

-54.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.05 CA$4.17

-18.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$2.44 CA$3.34

-78.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$63.9 CA$87.5

-57.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$3.24 CA$4.44

-3.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.62 CA$0.85

287.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$29.53 CA$40.46

-89.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.08 CA$1.48

17.59%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$24.8K CA$34.0K

24.50%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$19.7K CA$27.0K

18.44%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$127 CA$175

-35.61%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$51.3 CA$70.2

-56.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$50.7 CA$69.5

-41.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$42.73 CA$58.5

21.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$9.25 CA$12.67

-46.27%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$503 CA$689

-60.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$10.9K CA$14.9K

-51.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$60.6 CA$83.0

-39.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$32.86 CA$45.02

21.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$86.3 CA$118

-7.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$110 CA$151

-19.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$1,299 CA$1,779

-25.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$1,177 CA$1,613

-60.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$2,021 CA$2,769

-21.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,798 CA$2,464

-32.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$4,278 CA$5,860

-7.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$3,949 CA$5,410

63.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.47

76.51%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Humboldt: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $1,299 in Humboldt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $33.00 in Humboldt. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $369, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Humboldt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $3,358 in Humboldt to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,299 in Humboldt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 137% less than in Humboldt. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $503 in Humboldt. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,239 in Humboldt, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Humboldt. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Humboldt are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Humboldt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.