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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $775 in Tacarigua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,306 in Tacarigua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,836 in Tacarigua, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 63% more than Tacarigua, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tacarigua are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Tacarigua 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$10.21 TTD 68.7

13.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$59.8 TTD 402

-21.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.95 TTD 53.5

49.43%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.77 TTD 25.35

5.57%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.00 TTD 6.70

43.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.72 TTD 4.85

13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.89 TTD 12.72

68.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.57 TTD 17.29

164.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.99 TTD 13.37

-15.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.24 TTD 15.07

-1.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.90 TTD 19.49

-41.03%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$3.78 TTD 25.40

-27.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$6.73 TTD 45.27

42.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$9.96 TTD 67.0

-9.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$8.75 TTD 58.9

46.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$5.35 TTD 35.98

-45.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.47 TTD 16.63

-39.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$3.77 TTD 25.39

-42.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.37 TTD 29.39

-48.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.76 TTD 5.12

160.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.70 TTD 4.74

184.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.43 TTD 9.60

-13.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.17 TTD 7.87

2.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$5.75 TTD 38.69

-20.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$17.39 TTD 117

-40.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.48 TTD 9.93

9.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.97 TTD 19.98

-3.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.85 TTD 5.70

534.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.84 TTD 5.65

344.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$14.61 TTD 98.3

-60.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.16 TTD 7.79

32.76%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$37.2K TTD 250.4K

-39.41%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$41.0K TTD 275.7K

-36.41%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$44.43 TTD 299

105.67%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$41.99 TTD 283

-39.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$45.83 TTD 308

-31.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$9.03 TTD 60.8

-46.18%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$396 TTD 2,664

-43.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$10.8K TTD 72.4K

-60.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$54.6 TTD 368

-13.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$37.54 TTD 253

17.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$89.7 TTD 604

-10.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$89.4 TTD 601

3.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.75

99.13%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Tacarigua: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $60.0 in Tacarigua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $315 – 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 63%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,163 in Tacarigua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $775 in Tacarigua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $396 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 $775, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.