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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,153 in Tacarigua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,001 in Tacarigua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,849 in Tacarigua, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 9% more than Tacarigua, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tacarigua are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Tacarigua 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$10.48 TTD 70.5

14.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$87.4 TTD 588

-52.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$6.55 TTD 44.07

64.12%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.03 TTD 20.40

15.51%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.00 TTD 6.73

45.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.72 TTD 4.84

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.05 TTD 7.03

180.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.19 TTD 21.46

41.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.95 TTD 13.10

-26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.60 TTD 10.75

15.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.62 TTD 17.61

-40.08%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.57 TTD 23.99

-29.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$3.74 TTD 25.18

121.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.68 TTD 24.73

129.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$14.18 TTD 95.4

-24.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$5.71 TTD 38.42

-54.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.66 TTD 11.13

-13.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$4.21 TTD 28.32

-53.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$4.65 TTD 31.27

-55.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.00 TTD 6.70

85.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.45 TTD 3.04

382.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.46 TTD 9.84

-29.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.41 TTD 9.51

-24.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$5.75 TTD 38.70

-28.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$19.08 TTD 128

-46.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.14 TTD 14.36

-21.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.83 TTD 19.03

-10.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.06 TTD 7.11

-51.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.00 TTD 6.73

223.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.21 TTD 8.17

99.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$14.51 TTD 97.6

-77.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.42 TTD 2.85

214.29%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$33.4K TTD 224.4K

-10.99%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$32.3K TTD 217.1K

-26.68%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$80.3 TTD 540

2.13%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$46.50 TTD 313

-50.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$36.75 TTD 247

-18.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$50.8 TTD 342

2.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$7.61 TTD 51.2

-34.56%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$327 TTD 2,200

-39.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$7,296 TTD 49.1K

-26.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$29.83 TTD 201

19.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$29.35 TTD 197

37.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$72.7 TTD 489

8.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$45.20 TTD 304

96.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$371 TTD 2,493

27.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$889 TTD 5,978

36.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tacarigua: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $87.0 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 9%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,729 in Tacarigua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,153 in Tacarigua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $327 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 $1,153, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.