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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,262 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,094 in Villahermosa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,158 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,790 in Villahermosa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,054 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,487 in Villahermosa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 15% more than Villahermosa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Playa del Carmen and Villahermosa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Villahermosa 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 MX$201

$10.63 MX$185

9.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$742

$34.84 MX$605

22.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 MX$184

$10.62 MX$184

-0.19%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$3.15 MX$54.7

13.97%

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

$1.45 MX$25.21

$1.18 MX$20.43

22.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.58

$0.93 MX$16.17

-3.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$2.81 MX$48.78

7.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 MX$79.2

$5.20 MX$90.2

-12.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.20

$1.34 MX$23.25

8.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.72

$1.63 MX$28.36

12.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.92

$1.29 MX$22.37

24.81%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.05

$2.32 MX$40.34

9.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MX$148

$8.64 MX$150

-1.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 MX$147

$10.12 MX$176

-16.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$13.13 MX$228

-17.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.37

$3.34 MX$58.0

-18.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.91

$1.30 MX$22.65

14.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.73

$1.55 MX$26.98

25.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.57

$1.18 MX$20.41

83.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.05

$1.57 MX$27.21

17.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.00

$1.33 MX$23.13

64.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.62

$1.28 MX$22.29

-16.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.81

$1.10 MX$19.11

-1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.5

$5.12 MX$88.9

-20.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 MX$182

$10.14 MX$176

3.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.71

$2.62 MX$45.52

-37.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MX$44.23

$6.29 MX$109

-59.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.65

$0.64 MX$11.15

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.5

$2.16 MX$37.42

45.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MX$41.17

$1.54 MX$26.66

53.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.2

$8.06 MX$140

-59.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.81

$1.28 MX$22.21

2.34%

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

$30.5K MX$530.2K

$22.6K MX$393.0K

34.89%

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

$23.8K MX$413.6K

$26.1K MX$452.7K

-8.64%

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

$83.1 MX$1,443

$60.3 MX$1,047

37.83%

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

$22.15 MX$385

$28.49 MX$495

-22.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 MX$510

$29.13 MX$506

0.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MX$889

$44.42 MX$771

15.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

$15.97 MX$277

17.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MX$84.9

$3.68 MX$63.9

32.88%

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

$199 MX$3,449

$298 MX$5,165

-33.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,207 MX$90.4K

$4,351 MX$75.5K

19.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$624

$57.3 MX$994

-37.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 MX$684

$40.18 MX$697

-1.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MX$1,394

$76.8 MX$1,333

4.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,520

$58.4 MX$1,013

50.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

$344 MX$5,969

180.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,370

$371 MX$6,442

29.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 MX$28.6K

$831 MX$14.4K

97.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 MX$20.7K

$825 MX$14.3K

44.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$113.1K

$1,278 MX$22.2K

409.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.5

-0.70%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Last update for Villahermosa: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $344 in Villahermosa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $35 in Villahermosa. Groceries tell a different story – $253 in Playa del Carmen vs $268 in Villahermosa – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Villahermosa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,894 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,641 in Villahermosa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Villahermosa, 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 $1,262 in Playa del Carmen and $1,094 in Villahermosa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $199 per month in Playa del Carmen and $298 in Villahermosa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Villahermosa, where all-in costs run around $1,094, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,262. In Villahermosa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Villahermosa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Villahermosa. 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.