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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,876 in Taby, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,903 in Taby, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,930 in Taby, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 33% cheaper than Taby, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Taby is 40% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Taby
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.99 MX$209
$13.04 SEK 126
-8.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78 MX$728
$68.7 SEK 665
-39.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.75 MX$187
$10.52 SEK 102
2.19%
Cappuccino
$3.50 MX$60.9
$4.70 SEK 45.46
-25.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 MX$25.22
$3.28 SEK 31.76
-55.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 MX$15.41
$2.55 SEK 24.65
-65.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 MX$51.3
$7.19 SEK 69.6
-58.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.51 MX$78.6
$8.60 SEK 83.3
-47.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Taby
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.94
$1.72 SEK 16.61
-16.86%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 MX$31.99
$3.23 SEK 31.26
-43.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 MX$27.31
$4.05 SEK 39.24
-61.23%
Eggs
$2.51 MX$43.74
$4.73 SEK 45.79
-46.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.28 MX$144
$13.00 SEK 126
-36.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.43 MX$147
$11.85 SEK 115
-28.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.68 MX$186
$19.55 SEK 189
-45.37%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 MX$45.43
$3.59 SEK 34.79
-27.30%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 MX$25.04
$2.58 SEK 24.95
-44.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 MX$34.16
$1.56 SEK 15.09
25.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$36.47
$4.55 SEK 44.09
-54.07%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 MX$32.24
$1.91 SEK 18.54
-3.14%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.74
$1.85 SEK 17.94
17.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 MX$17.96
$2.63 SEK 25.50
-60.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MX$18.70
$1.61 SEK 15.59
-33.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.10 MX$71.4
$7.49 SEK 72.5
-45.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.17 MX$177
$12.47 SEK 121
-18.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$29.17
$1.71 SEK 16.60
-1.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 MX$43.98
$2.38 SEK 23.03
6.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Taby
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$8.87
$4.15 SEK 40.20
-87.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.04 MX$453
$104 SEK 1,010
-75.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.3
$6.27 SEK 60.7
-48.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.41 MX$41.88
$1.22 SEK 11.85
97.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.2
$21.47 SEK 208
-84.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 MX$23.00
$1.93 SEK 18.65
-31.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K MX$517.1K
$32.9K SEK 318.2K
-9.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7K MX$412.0K
$33.8K SEK 327.0K
-29.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Taby
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,428
$91.4 SEK 885
-10.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.95 MX$400
$29.59 SEK 286
-22.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.11 MX$524
$37.81 SEK 366
-20.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Taby
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.0 MX$905
$47.86 SEK 463
8.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.53 MX$323
$25.81 SEK 250
-28.21%
Cinema Ticket
$4.98 MX$86.6
$18.17 SEK 176
-72.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Taby
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,438
$165 SEK 1,597
19.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,336 MX$92.9K
$4,166 SEK 40.3K
28.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Taby
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.60 MX$620
$106 SEK 1,031
-66.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.33 MX$702
$43.23 SEK 419
-6.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 MX$1,371
$118 SEK 1,140
-33.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,549
$158 SEK 1,528
-43.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Taby
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$947 MX$16.5K
$846 SEK 8,190
11.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$474 MX$8,254
$644 SEK 6,236
-26.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,644 MX$28.6K
$1,415 SEK 13.7K
16.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,211 MX$21.1K
$1,070 SEK 10.4K
13.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,056 MX$70.6K
$6,100 SEK 59.1K
-33.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,470 MX$112.7K
$7,212 SEK 69.8K
-10.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Taby
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 MX$11.4K
$3,431 SEK 33.2K
-80.94%
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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Taby: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $846 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 425% 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 $382 – 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 49%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,814 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 and in Taby?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,876 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 301% 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 living in Playa del Carmen or in Taby?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Taby at $1,876. 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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