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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,865 in Taby, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,902 in Taby, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,939 in Taby, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 30% cheaper than Taby, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Taby is 39% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Taby
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.73 MX$203
$13.23 SEK 124
-11.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.62 MX$719
$68.6 SEK 643
-39.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.64 MX$184
$10.71 SEK 100
-0.65%
Cappuccino
$3.52 MX$60.8
$4.53 SEK 42.48
-22.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 MX$26.09
$3.29 SEK 30.84
-54.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 MX$16.82
$2.54 SEK 23.79
-61.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 MX$51.0
$7.47 SEK 70.1
-60.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.45 MX$77.0
$8.55 SEK 80.2
-47.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Taby
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.90
$1.74 SEK 16.31
-20.69%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 MX$32.69
$3.08 SEK 28.91
-38.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.64 MX$28.29
$4.10 SEK 38.42
-60.00%
Eggs
$2.51 MX$43.30
$4.71 SEK 44.14
-46.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.34 MX$144
$12.91 SEK 121
-35.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.34 MX$144
$12.00 SEK 113
-30.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.73 MX$185
$19.55 SEK 183
-45.12%
Apples (1kg)
$2.60 MX$45.00
$3.51 SEK 32.92
-25.93%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 MX$25.18
$2.72 SEK 25.49
-46.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.90 MX$32.84
$1.56 SEK 14.63
21.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$35.88
$4.51 SEK 42.33
-53.88%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 MX$30.68
$1.97 SEK 18.44
-9.64%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 MX$37.76
$1.83 SEK 17.12
19.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.04 MX$17.97
$2.53 SEK 23.69
-58.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 MX$18.60
$1.55 SEK 14.54
-30.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.08 MX$70.5
$7.20 SEK 67.5
-43.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.32 MX$178
$12.83 SEK 120
-19.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 MX$29.59
$1.70 SEK 15.92
0.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 MX$44.50
$2.27 SEK 21.28
13.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Taby
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$8.81
$4.01 SEK 37.64
-87.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.46 MX$457
$104 SEK 978
-74.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.26 MX$56.4
$6.16 SEK 57.7
-47.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.49 MX$43.05
$1.19 SEK 11.15
109.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.25 MX$56.1
$21.45 SEK 201
-84.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$22.59
$2.00 SEK 18.74
-34.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3K MX$523.2K
$32.3K SEK 302.8K
-6.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$404.9K
$34.8K SEK 326.8K
-32.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Taby
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.9 MX$1,432
$89.1 SEK 835
-6.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.22 MX$384
$28.50 SEK 267
-22.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.34 MX$507
$38.09 SEK 357
-22.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Taby
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.6 MX$892
$47.05 SEK 441
9.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.32 MX$317
$25.12 SEK 236
-27.07%
Cinema Ticket
$5.07 MX$87.5
$17.57 SEK 165
-71.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Taby
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,470
$164 SEK 1,535
22.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,212 MX$90.1K
$4,112 SEK 38.6K
26.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Taby
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.92 MX$638
$106 SEK 994
-65.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.79 MX$688
$42.87 SEK 402
-7.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.5 MX$1,356
$115 SEK 1,078
-31.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.1 MX$1,505
$158 SEK 1,478
-44.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Taby
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$973 MX$16.8K
$832 SEK 7,804
16.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$468 MX$8,082
$661 SEK 6,204
-29.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,641 MX$28.4K
$1,413 SEK 13.3K
16.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,221 MX$21.1K
$1,085 SEK 10.2K
12.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,946 MX$68.2K
$6,572 SEK 61.6K
-39.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,498 MX$112.3K
$7,485 SEK 70.2K
-13.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Taby
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$664 MX$11.5K
$3,558 SEK 33.4K
-81.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
4.16
174.52%

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 Taby: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $832 in Taby. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 436% higher in Taby, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $69.0 in Taby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $380 – 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 Taby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Taby cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Taby is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,797 in Taby. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Taby?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,865 in Taby. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 294% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Taby?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Taby at $1,865. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taby it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Taby more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Taby?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Taby makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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