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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $732 in Taghazout, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,156 in Taghazout, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,580 in Taghazout, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 77% more than Taghazout, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Taghazout are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Taghazout 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.87 MAD 35.67

203.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$24.56 MAD 226

69.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.62 MAD 61.0

60.73%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.67 MAD 15.37

110.78%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.62 MAD 5.75

143.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.33 MAD 3.00

193.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$3.74 MAD 34.47

-21.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.73 MAD 34.38

19.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.91 MAD 8.39

51.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.53 MAD 4.85

256.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.77 MAD 16.27

-7.34%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.99 MAD 18.31

26.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$9.90 MAD 91.1

-15.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.08 MAD 56.0

37.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.23 MAD 103

-4.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.42 MAD 13.08

83.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.32 MAD 12.18

10.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$0.83 MAD 7.60

128.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.79 MAD 7.26

163.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.68 MAD 6.25

161.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.74 MAD 6.80

195.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.39 MAD 3.62

166.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.64 MAD 5.85

68.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$4.22 MAD 38.86

-3.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$8.62 MAD 79.4

19.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.69 MAD 24.76

-36.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.87 MAD 26.38

-10.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.50 MAD 4.61

2.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$16.40 MAD 151

61.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.56 MAD 5.19

482.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.52 MAD 4.78

378.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$4.50 MAD 41.40

-27.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.60 MAD 14.74

-18.13%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$37.7K MAD 346.9K

-19.64%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$29.0K MAD 266.7K

-19.13%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$34.13 MAD 314

142.81%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$11.23 MAD 103

97.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$40.08 MAD 369

-26.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$23.78 MAD 219

117.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$23.52 MAD 217

-22.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$6.62 MAD 61.0

-23.41%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$114 MAD 1,050

76.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$5,495 MAD 50.6K

-5.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$39.90 MAD 367

-7.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$45.79 MAD 422

-13.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$86.9 MAD 800

-9.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$80.6 MAD 742

8.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$282 MAD 2,601

244.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$176 MAD 1,625

165.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$501 MAD 4,617

227.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$306 MAD 2,819

298.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,159 MAD 10.7K

240.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$859 MAD 7,904

656.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.75

140.42%

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 Taghazout: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $282 in Taghazout. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Taghazout. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $195 – making Taghazout 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 Taghazout: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 77%, 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 $1,099 in Taghazout. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taghazout, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $732 in Taghazout. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 61% less in Taghazout. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Taghazout, where all-in costs run around $732, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Taghazout it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taghazout – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Taghazout. 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.