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 $1,239 per month in Tegucigalpa vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,782 per month in Tegucigalpa vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,324 per month in Tegucigalpa vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tegucigalpa is about 4% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tegucigalpa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tegucigalpa 10% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tegucigalpa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.31 HNL 196
$11.71 MX$199
-37.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.32 HNL 867
$46.59 MX$791
-30.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.64 HNL 205
$11.65 MX$198
-34.42%
Cappuccino
$2.16 HNL 57.9
$4.09 MX$69.5
-47.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 HNL 27.71
$1.37 MX$23.34
-24.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00 HNL 26.92
$0.83 MX$14.16
20.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.15 HNL 30.79
$3.35 MX$56.9
-65.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 HNL 81.7
$6.91 MX$117
-55.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tegucigalpa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.35 HNL 36.24
$1.73 MX$29.33
-21.97%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 HNL 50.6
$2.26 MX$38.39
-16.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.30 HNL 34.96
$1.77 MX$30.05
-26.55%
Eggs
$1.73 HNL 46.51
$2.73 MX$46.41
-36.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.70 HNL 180
$9.18 MX$156
-27.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.68 HNL 152
$8.92 MX$151
-36.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.01 HNL 242
$12.60 MX$214
-28.49%
Apples (1kg)
$3.58 HNL 96.0
$3.02 MX$51.3
18.54%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 HNL 42.07
$1.57 MX$26.68
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 HNL 57.0
$2.13 MX$36.10
-0.47%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.01 HNL 53.9
$2.26 MX$38.46
-11.06%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 HNL 49.52
$2.00 MX$34.04
-7.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 HNL 53.2
$2.06 MX$35.06
-3.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 HNL 28.82
$1.18 MX$20.04
-9.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.01 HNL 27.16
$1.20 MX$20.45
-15.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.90 HNL 77.9
$4.63 MX$78.7
-37.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.55 HNL 256
$10.69 MX$182
-10.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.48 HNL 39.62
$1.62 MX$27.50
-8.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 HNL 53.4
$2.88 MX$48.93
-30.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Tegucigalpa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.07 HNL 28.68
$0.57 MX$9.74
87.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$29.83 MX$507
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.74 HNL 100
$5.45 MX$92.5
-31.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.96 HNL 52.7
$3.70 MX$62.9
-47.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.61 HNL 124
$5.98 MX$102
-22.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.15 HNL 30.77
$1.55 MX$26.38
-25.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.5K HNL 523.9K
$22.3K MX$379.2K
-12.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.1K HNL 592.9K
$25.9K MX$440.7K
-14.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tegucigalpa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$143 HNL 3,825
$89.1 MX$1,514
59.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.68 HNL 609
$25.04 MX$425
-9.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.08 HNL 914
$31.50 MX$535
8.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tegucigalpa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.14 HNL 996
$67.8 MX$1,151
-45.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.61 HNL 392
$28.92 MX$491
-49.48%
Cinema Ticket
$5.71 HNL 153
$5.05 MX$85.8
13.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tegucigalpa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$221 HNL 5,920
$225 MX$3,820
-1.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,567 HNL 176.2K
$4,222 MX$71.7K
55.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tegucigalpa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.9 HNL 1,418
$47.44 MX$806
11.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.79 HNL 1,309
$44.98 MX$764
8.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 HNL 2,772
$82.0 MX$1,392
26.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 HNL 2,908
$92.1 MX$1,564
17.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tegucigalpa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$446 HNL 12.0K
$1,069 MX$18.2K
-58.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$474 HNL 12.7K
$405 MX$6,884
16.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,204 HNL 32.3K
$1,935 MX$32.9K
-37.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$746 HNL 20.0K
$1,301 MX$22.1K
-42.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,781 HNL 74.6K
$3,995 MX$67.9K
-30.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,552 HNL 41.6K
$6,626 MX$112.5K
-76.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tegucigalpa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$606 HNL 16.3K
$749 MX$12.7K
-19.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.38
11.45
-0.61%

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

Last update for Tegucigalpa: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $446 in Tegucigalpa versus $1,069 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 24% 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 $32.00 in Tegucigalpa versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $277 – 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 4%, 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 $1,859 per month in Tegucigalpa and $1,940 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 $1,239 in Tegucigalpa and $1,293 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 $221 per month in Tegucigalpa and $225 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 $1,239, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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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