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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Villahermosa is about 13% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.63 MX$185

$11.61 MX$201

-8.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.84 MX$605

$42.75 MX$742

-18.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.62 MX$184

$10.60 MX$184

0.19%

Cappuccino

$3.15 MX$54.7

$3.59 MX$62.3

-12.26%

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

$1.18 MX$20.43

$1.45 MX$25.21

-18.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 MX$16.17

$0.90 MX$15.58

3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 MX$48.78

$3.03 MX$52.6

-7.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 MX$90.2

$4.56 MX$79.2

14.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.25

$1.45 MX$25.20

-7.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 MX$28.36

$1.83 MX$31.72

-10.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MX$22.37

$1.61 MX$27.92

-19.88%

Eggs

$2.32 MX$40.34

$2.54 MX$44.05

-8.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 MX$150

$8.54 MX$148

1.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 MX$176

$8.47 MX$147

19.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.13 MX$228

$10.86 MX$189

20.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 MX$58.0

$2.73 MX$47.37

22.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 MX$22.65

$1.49 MX$25.91

-12.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.98

$1.94 MX$33.73

-20.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 MX$20.41

$2.16 MX$37.57

-45.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.21

$1.85 MX$32.05

-15.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MX$23.13

$2.19 MX$38.00

-39.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 MX$22.29

$1.07 MX$18.62

19.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 MX$19.11

$1.08 MX$18.81

1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 MX$88.9

$4.06 MX$70.5

26.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.14 MX$176

$10.46 MX$182

-3.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 MX$45.52

$1.65 MX$28.71

58.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.29 MX$109

$2.55 MX$44.23

146.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 MX$11.15

$0.56 MX$9.65

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 MX$37.42

$3.14 MX$54.5

-31.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 MX$26.66

$2.37 MX$41.17

-35.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.06 MX$140

$3.24 MX$56.2

148.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$22.21

$1.31 MX$22.81

-2.29%

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

$22.6K MX$393.0K

$30.5K MX$530.2K

-25.87%

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

$26.1K MX$452.7K

$23.8K MX$413.6K

9.46%

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

$60.3 MX$1,047

$83.1 MX$1,443

-27.45%

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

$28.49 MX$495

$22.15 MX$385

28.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.13 MX$506

$29.37 MX$510

-0.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.42 MX$771

$51.2 MX$889

-13.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.97 MX$277

$18.69 MX$324

-14.55%

Cinema Ticket

$3.68 MX$63.9

$4.89 MX$84.9

-24.74%

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

$298 MX$5,165

$199 MX$3,449

49.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,351 MX$75.5K

$5,207 MX$90.4K

-16.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$994

$35.93 MX$624

59.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.18 MX$697

$39.39 MX$684

2.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 MX$1,333

$80.3 MX$1,394

-4.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.4 MX$1,013

$87.6 MX$1,520

-33.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 MX$5,969

$963 MX$16.7K

-64.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 MX$6,442

$482 MX$8,370

-23.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$831 MX$14.4K

$1,645 MX$28.6K

-49.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 MX$14.3K

$1,192 MX$20.7K

-30.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,278 MX$22.2K

$6,513 MX$113.1K

-80.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

11.42

0.70%

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

Last update for Villahermosa: April 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $344 in Villahermosa versus $963 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35 in Villahermosa versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $268 in Villahermosa vs $253 in Playa del Carmen – 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

Villahermosa vs Playa del Carmen: 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 $1,641 per month in Villahermosa and $1,894 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,094 in Villahermosa and $1,262 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $298 per month in Villahermosa and $199 in Playa del Carmen. 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.