Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Puerto de Tierra Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Puerto de Tierra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,291 in Puerto de Tierra, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,059 in Puerto de Tierra, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,827 in Puerto de Tierra, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 1% more than Puerto de Tierra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Puerto de Tierra are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Puerto de Tierra 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$18.27 $18.27

-34.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$805

$83.4 $83.4

-43.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$200

$9.29 $9.29

26.48%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.1

$3.73 $3.73

10.46%

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

$1.40 MX$23.78

$1.84 $1.84

-23.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.50

$1.50 $1.50

-39.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.5

$2.99 $2.99

7.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$5.05 $5.05

40.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.49

$1.81 $1.81

-7.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.53

$3.69 $3.69

-41.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.14

$2.41 $2.41

-26.56%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.83

$7.21 $7.21

-60.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$12.43 $12.43

-25.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$9.70 $9.70

-4.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$215

$13.43 $13.43

-5.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$4.99 $4.99

-40.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.83

$2.54 $2.54

-37.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.76

$4.98 $4.98

-55.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.15

$4.87 $4.87

-51.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.86

$3.75 $3.75

-46.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.63

$4.07 $4.07

-51.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.07

$3.40 $3.40

-63.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.58

$1.66 $1.66

-27.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.2

$11.88 $11.88

-61.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$179

$15.65 $15.65

-32.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.74

$2.99 $2.99

-43.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.13

$3.94 $3.94

-29.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$89.0

$2.44 $2.44

114.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$62.0

$1.46 $1.46

150.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.3

$42.32 $42.32

-86.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.13

$1.11 $1.11

38.74%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

$39.5K $39.5K

-42.21%

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

$25.8K MX$438.5K

$28.2K $28.2K

-8.34%

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

$90.7 MX$1,540

$318 $318

-71.45%

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

$25.19 MX$428

$69.4 $69.4

-63.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$69.2 $69.2

-54.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,169

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.6

$10.39 $10.39

-53.22%

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

$226 MX$3,834

$813 $813

-72.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

$12.6K $12.6K

-66.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$805

$56.9 $56.9

-16.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$738

$60.5 $60.5

-28.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,363

$111 $111

-27.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,552

$116 $116

-21.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,943

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.55

74.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Puerto de Tierra: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $83.0 in Puerto de Tierra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $411 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Puerto de Tierra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,937 in Puerto de Tierra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,291 in Puerto de Tierra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $813 in Puerto de Tierra. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Puerto de Tierra, where all-in costs run around $1,291, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Puerto de Tierra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puerto de Tierra – 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 Puerto de Tierra. 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.