Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Las Tablas Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Las Tablas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $841 in Las Tablas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $744 in Las Tablas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $647 in Las Tablas, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 51% more than Las Tablas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Las Tablas are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Las Tablas 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$10.07 PAB 10.07

17.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$29.80 PAB 29.80

43.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.46 PAB 1.46

107.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.07 PAB 3.07

50.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.05 PAB 2.05

26.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$5.65 PAB 5.65

83.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.46 PAB 1.46

17.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.98 PAB 0.98

219.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.93 PAB 0.93

36.56%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$148 PAB 148

-44.02%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$15.18 PAB 15.18

49.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$29.61 PAB 29.61

-0.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$19.63 PAB 19.63

159.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$692 PAB 692

38.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$495 PAB 495

-3.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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 7, 2026

Last update for Las Tablas: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $692 in Las Tablas. 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $30.00 in Las Tablas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $27.00 – making Las Tablas 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

Playa del Carmen vs Las Tablas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 51% more than Las Tablas, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,262 in Las Tablas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Las Tablas, 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $841 in Las Tablas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 833% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Las Tablas, where all-in costs run around $841, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Las Tablas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Las Tablas costs $841 versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Las Tablas. 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.