Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and At Tafilah Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and At Tafilah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $404 in At Tafilah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $713 in At Tafilah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,022 in At Tafilah.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 221% more expensive than At Tafilah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, At Tafilah 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.20 JOD 2.98

179.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$28.47 JOD 20.15

46.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.71 JOD 4.04

86.34%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.47 JOD 2.46

1.44%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.37 JOD 0.26

308.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.48 JOD 0.34

102.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$5.50 JOD 3.89

-46.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$7.12 JOD 5.04

-37.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.48 JOD 1.05

-6.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.72 JOD 0.51

162.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.39 JOD 0.99

17.99%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.50 JOD 1.06

67.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.92 JOD 4.90

20.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$2.86 JOD 2.03

191.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.74 JOD 1.23

49.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.79 JOD 1.26

-18.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.38 JOD 0.98

37.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.68 JOD 0.48

205.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.68 JOD 0.48

161.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.74 JOD 0.52

195.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.68 JOD 0.48

52.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.50 JOD 0.35

116.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.16 JOD 2.23

29.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.74 JOD 0.52

-31.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.73 JOD 0.52

346.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.68 JOD 0.48

266.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.22 JOD 0.86

7.38%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$66.4 JOD 46.95

24.90%

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$21.47 JOD 15.19

36.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$21.04 JOD 14.89

145.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$27.73 JOD 19.63

33.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$25.46 JOD 18.02

56.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$28.71 JOD 20.32

203.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$208 JOD 147

688.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$139 JOD 98.3

778.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for At Tafilah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $28.00 in At Tafilah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $109 per month, with At Tafilah cheaper across the board.

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 At Tafilah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At Tafilah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 221% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $606 in At Tafilah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 128% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in At Tafilah – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $404 in At Tafilah versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in At Tafilah but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes At Tafilah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, At Tafilah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and At Tafilah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find At Tafilah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 221% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.