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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $897 per month in Tegucigalpa vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,437 per month in Tegucigalpa vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,977 per month in Tegucigalpa vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tegucigalpa is about 29% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tegucigalpa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tegucigalpa 33% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tegucigalpa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.89 HNL 157
$11.99 MX$210
-50.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.29 HNL 997
$41.78 MX$733
-10.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.75 HNL 207
$10.75 MX$189
-27.91%
Cappuccino
$2.30 HNL 61.4
$3.50 MX$61.3
-34.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02 HNL 27.21
$1.45 MX$25.41
-29.66%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.17 HNL 31.15
$0.88 MX$15.52
32.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.12 HNL 29.93
$2.95 MX$51.7
-62.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 HNL 70.7
$4.51 MX$79.1
-41.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tegucigalpa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 HNL 38.36
$1.43 MX$25.12
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.09 HNL 55.8
$1.84 MX$32.23
13.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.24 HNL 33.09
$1.57 MX$27.51
-21.02%
Eggs
$2.10 HNL 56.1
$2.51 MX$44.06
-16.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.02 HNL 161
$8.28 MX$145
-27.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.74 HNL 100
$8.43 MX$148
-55.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.13 HNL 217
$10.68 MX$187
-23.88%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 HNL 78.9
$2.61 MX$45.76
13.03%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 HNL 39.01
$1.44 MX$25.22
1.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 HNL 40.09
$1.96 MX$34.41
-23.47%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.51 HNL 40.37
$2.09 MX$36.74
-27.75%
Potato (1kg)
$1.66 HNL 44.37
$1.85 MX$32.47
-10.27%
Onion (1kg)
$1.40 HNL 37.56
$2.17 MX$38.02
-35.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.82 HNL 21.85
$1.03 MX$18.09
-20.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 HNL 45.48
$1.07 MX$18.84
58.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.46 HNL 65.8
$4.10 MX$72.0
-40.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.28 HNL 248
$10.17 MX$178
-8.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.33 HNL 35.60
$1.68 MX$29.38
-20.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 HNL 49.12
$2.53 MX$44.31
-27.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Tegucigalpa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.57 HNL 41.85
$0.51 MX$8.93
207.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.04 MX$457
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.15 HNL 111
$3.23 MX$56.7
28.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.10 HNL 82.8
$2.41 MX$42.19
28.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.23 MX$56.6
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.06 HNL 28.39
$1.32 MX$23.17
-19.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.9K HNL 504.4K
$29.7K MX$520.9K
-36.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.9K HNL 505.2K
$23.7K MX$415.0K
-20.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tegucigalpa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.8 HNL 2,159
$82.0 MX$1,439
-1.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.97 HNL 240
$22.95 MX$403
-60.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.78 HNL 1,090
$30.11 MX$528
35.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tegucigalpa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.58 HNL 978
$52.0 MX$912
-29.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.53 HNL 415
$18.53 MX$325
-16.19%
Cinema Ticket
$5.63 HNL 151
$4.98 MX$87.3
13.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tegucigalpa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$249 HNL 6,650
$197 MX$3,463
25.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$5,336 MX$93.6K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tegucigalpa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.74 HNL 1,249
$35.60 MX$624
31.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.17 HNL 940
$40.33 MX$707
-12.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 HNL 2,967
$78.8 MX$1,381
40.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 HNL 2,728
$88.9 MX$1,560
14.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tegucigalpa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$287 HNL 7,676
$947 MX$16.6K
-69.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$233 HNL 6,216
$474 MX$8,314
-50.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$580 HNL 15.5K
$1,644 MX$28.8K
-64.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$460 HNL 12.3K
$1,211 MX$21.2K
-62.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,680 HNL 71.7K
$4,056 MX$71.1K
-33.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,590 HNL 42.5K
$6,470 MX$113.5K
-75.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tegucigalpa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$518 HNL 13.9K
$654 MX$11.5K
-20.74%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12
11.42
5.08%

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

Last update for Tegucigalpa: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $287 in Tegucigalpa versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. 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 26% 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 $37.00 in Tegucigalpa versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $249 – making Tegucigalpa 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
Tegucigalpa vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Tegucigalpa?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 40%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,345 per month in Tegucigalpa and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tegucigalpa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Tegucigalpa and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $897 in Tegucigalpa and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $249 per month in Tegucigalpa and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Tegucigalpa or in Playa del Carmen?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tegucigalpa, where all-in costs run around $897, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Tegucigalpa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Tegucigalpa or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Tegucigalpa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Tegucigalpa. 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.

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