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 $1,294 per month in Villahermosa vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,199 per month in Villahermosa vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,105 per month in Villahermosa vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Villahermosa costs about 2% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Villahermosa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Villahermosa 5% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$202

$11.60 MX$200

0.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.70 MX$650

$47.11 MX$812

-19.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.77 MX$203

$11.88 MX$205

-0.93%

Cappuccino

$3.53 MX$60.9

$3.98 MX$68.6

-11.31%

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

$1.33 MX$22.90

$1.43 MX$24.60

-6.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MX$22.28

$0.82 MX$14.22

57.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 MX$53.1

$3.19 MX$55.0

-3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 MX$98.4

$6.79 MX$117

-16.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$31.22

$1.68 MX$28.89

7.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 MX$33.20

$2.20 MX$37.88

-12.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.68

$1.71 MX$29.45

-12.87%

Eggs

$2.04 MX$35.16

$2.74 MX$47.26

-25.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.43 MX$163

$9.58 MX$165

-1.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 MX$199

$9.01 MX$155

28.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.66 MX$253

$12.81 MX$221

14.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$2.89 MX$49.81

29.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$24.86

$1.50 MX$25.81

-4.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 MX$30.98

$2.15 MX$37.03

-16.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 MX$23.16

$2.26 MX$38.96

-40.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 MX$29.81

$1.98 MX$34.15

-12.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.74

$1.99 MX$34.30

-25.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 MX$25.67

$1.23 MX$21.28

21.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.43

$1.20 MX$20.63

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.08 MX$122

$4.55 MX$78.5

55.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.02 MX$173

$10.37 MX$179

-3.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 MX$50.6

$1.62 MX$27.91

81.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 MX$124

$2.88 MX$49.67

149.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.49

$0.60 MX$10.35

1.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.25 MX$435

$28.80 MX$497

-12.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 MX$39.25

$5.39 MX$92.9

-57.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.29 MX$39.42

$3.73 MX$64.3

-38.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.72 MX$202

$5.77 MX$99.5

103.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$26.03

$1.54 MX$26.48

-1.95%

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

$24.6K MX$423.6K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

8.94%

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

$27.9K MX$480.7K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

7.00%

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

$65.8 MX$1,135

$91.4 MX$1,576

-27.95%

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

$31.56 MX$544

$25.20 MX$435

25.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.57 MX$596

$31.24 MX$539

10.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 MX$955

$67.2 MX$1,159

-17.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.72 MX$81.4

$4.86 MX$83.8

-2.88%

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

$333 MX$5,742

$224 MX$3,856

48.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,677 MX$80.6K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

10.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 MX$1,175

$47.10 MX$812

44.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.1 MX$1,415

$80.1 MX$1,381

2.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.9 MX$1,119

$92.7 MX$1,598

-29.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$517 MX$8,906

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-51.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,125

$390 MX$6,728

20.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,694 MX$29.2K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-21.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-1.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,296 MX$22.3K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-80.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Villahermosa: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $517 in Villahermosa versus $1,063 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 $38.00 in Villahermosa versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $302 in Villahermosa vs $276 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 – Villahermosa is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,942 per month in Villahermosa and $1,899 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,294 in Villahermosa and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 14% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Villahermosa at $1,294. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Villahermosa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Villahermosa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.