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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $737 in Taghazout, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,146 in Taghazout, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,554 in Taghazout, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 75% more than Taghazout, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Taghazout are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Taghazout 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$3.80 MAD 35.51

208.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$786

$24.80 MAD 232

87.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$6.72 MAD 62.9

73.36%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$1.71 MAD 15.99

139.18%

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

$1.37 MX$23.20

$0.59 MAD 5.50

132.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.07

$0.35 MAD 3.30

137.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

$3.88 MAD 36.31

-13.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.74 MAD 34.95

84.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.15

$0.90 MAD 8.42

92.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.15

$0.49 MAD 4.60

361.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.86

$1.77 MAD 16.57

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.12

$1.93 MAD 18.02

41.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$9.89 MAD 92.5

-7.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$6.09 MAD 57.0

46.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$11.16 MAD 104

12.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$1.38 MAD 12.86

118.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.51

$1.37 MAD 12.82

14.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.88

$0.78 MAD 7.28

173.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.22

$0.78 MAD 7.34

189.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.82

$0.68 MAD 6.32

194.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.85

$0.80 MAD 7.51

157.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.91

$0.40 MAD 3.70

195.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.32

$0.64 MAD 5.95

87.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.2

$4.43 MAD 41.43

4.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

$8.88 MAD 83.1

20.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.33

$2.70 MAD 25.21

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.63

$2.97 MAD 27.78

-3.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

$0.48 MAD 4.47

18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

$16.55 MAD 155

80.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$91.9

$0.53 MAD 4.98

928.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.5

$0.48 MAD 4.48

670.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$4.50 MAD 42.05

32.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.22

$1.59 MAD 14.92

-2.52%

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

$22.3K MX$376.8K

$37.6K MAD 351.6K

-40.60%

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

$25.9K MX$438.0K

$29.5K MAD 275.6K

-11.93%

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

$89.1 MX$1,504

$34.39 MAD 322

159.17%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$11.07 MAD 104

126.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$39.70 MAD 371

-20.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,144

$23.95 MAD 224

183.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

$23.49 MAD 220

23.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.2

$6.61 MAD 61.9

-23.60%

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

$225 MX$3,797

$114 MAD 1,066

97.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

$5,447 MAD 51.0K

-22.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

$40.14 MAD 375

18.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

$45.22 MAD 423

-0.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

$90.4 MAD 846

-9.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

$78.6 MAD 735

17.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.0K

$284 MAD 2,658

276.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,842

$175 MAD 1,634

132.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$500 MAD 4,682

286.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$311 MAD 2,907

318.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.4K

$1,188 MAD 11.1K

236.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.8K

$844 MAD 7,896

685.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.75

141.05%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Taghazout: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $284 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Taghazout. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $194 – 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 75%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,106 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $737 in Taghazout. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 80% 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 $737, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.