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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $720 in Taghazout, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,134 in Taghazout, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,548 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

$11.99 MX$210

$3.94 MAD 36.76

204.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$25.39 MAD 237

64.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$6.71 MAD 62.6

60.21%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.70 MAD 15.87

105.88%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.63 MAD 5.84

130.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.35 MAD 3.28

151.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$3.94 MAD 36.75

-25.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$3.74 MAD 34.88

20.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$0.90 MAD 8.36

58.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.49 MAD 4.59

275.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.76 MAD 16.44

-10.80%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.00 MAD 18.62

25.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$9.87 MAD 92.0

-16.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$5.94 MAD 55.4

41.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$11.22 MAD 105

-4.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.43 MAD 13.32

82.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.37 MAD 12.76

5.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.84 MAD 7.81

133.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.86 MAD 8.01

143.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.71 MAD 6.63

160.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.73 MAD 6.85

197.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.39 MAD 3.67

164.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.59 MAD 5.52

81.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$4.36 MAD 40.70

-5.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$8.85 MAD 82.6

14.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$2.73 MAD 25.42

-38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.84 MAD 26.47

-10.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.47 MAD 4.37

8.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$16.67 MAD 155

56.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.57 MAD 5.29

466.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.51 MAD 4.77

372.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$4.34 MAD 40.46

-25.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.58 MAD 14.71

-16.46%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$36.8K MAD 343.3K

-19.33%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$29.0K MAD 270.7K

-18.48%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$34.60 MAD 323

137.02%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$11.10 MAD 104

106.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$40.28 MAD 376

-25.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$24.13 MAD 225

115.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$23.25 MAD 217

-20.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$6.69 MAD 62.4

-25.56%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$113 MAD 1,053

74.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$5,359 MAD 50.0K

-0.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$39.94 MAD 372

-10.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$45.60 MAD 425

-11.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$87.1 MAD 812

-9.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$79.2 MAD 738

12.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$282 MAD 2,628

236.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$175 MAD 1,631

171.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$512 MAD 4,770

221.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$307 MAD 2,864

294.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$1,162 MAD 10.8K

249.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$850 MAD 7,928

661.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Taghazout: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 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 $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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,079 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $720 in Taghazout. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 56% 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 $720, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.