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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,151 in Tacarigua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,019 in Tacarigua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,886 in Tacarigua, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 13% more than Tacarigua, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tacarigua are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Tacarigua 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$10.38 TTD 69.5

13.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$90.0 TTD 603

-53.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.56 TTD 43.98

62.20%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.88 TTD 19.28

22.22%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.01 TTD 6.79

49.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.71 TTD 4.75

36.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.00 TTD 6.71

195.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.03 TTD 20.28

46.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.87 TTD 12.55

-26.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.61 TTD 10.80

17.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.67 TTD 17.92

-38.58%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.58 TTD 24.01

-29.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.76 TTD 25.22

121.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.74 TTD 25.03

122.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$14.25 TTD 95.5

-24.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$5.81 TTD 38.92

-55.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.61 TTD 10.78

-9.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$4.39 TTD 29.39

-56.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$4.78 TTD 31.99

-56.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.93 TTD 6.24

91.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.46 TTD 3.09

376.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.51 TTD 10.15

-31.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.40 TTD 9.39

-22.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$5.79 TTD 38.80

-29.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$18.42 TTD 123

-43.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.13 TTD 14.28

-19.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.82 TTD 18.87

-8.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.00 TTD 6.73

-49.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.01 TTD 6.77

222.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.24 TTD 8.30

100.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$14.72 TTD 98.6

-77.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.46 TTD 3.08

184.78%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$33.9K TTD 227.3K

-10.76%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$32.1K TTD 215.3K

-27.10%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$80.1 TTD 537

3.42%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$47.20 TTD 316

-52.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$36.74 TTD 246

-20.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$52.7 TTD 353

-2.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$7.30 TTD 48.93

-30.55%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$325 TTD 2,174

-38.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$7,108 TTD 47.6K

-26.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$30.05 TTD 201

22.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$29.81 TTD 200

33.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$74.5 TTD 499

5.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$44.75 TTD 300

94.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$367 TTD 2,461

27.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$889 TTD 5,955

37.35%

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

5.38

112.27%

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 Tacarigua: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $90.0 in Tacarigua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $292 – 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 Tacarigua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 13%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,727 in Tacarigua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,151 in Tacarigua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $325 in Tacarigua. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tacarigua, where all-in costs run around $1,151, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Tacarigua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tacarigua – 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 Tacarigua. 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.