Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Tagum City Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Tagum City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $434 in Tagum City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $541 in Tagum City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $647 in Tagum City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 200% more than Tagum City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tagum City are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Tagum City 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$5.63 ₱353

112.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$805

$12.88 ₱807

267.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$200

$5.10 ₱320

130.39%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.1

$2.26 ₱141

82.30%

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

$1.40 MX$23.78

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.50

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.5

$1.89 ₱118

69.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$1.41 ₱88.1

401.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.49

$1.62 ₱102

3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.53

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.14

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.83

$1.87 ₱117

50.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$215

$7.86 ₱493

60.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$6.55 ₱411

-54.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.83

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.76

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.15

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.86

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.63

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.07

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.58

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.2

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.74

$1.32 ₱83.0

28.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.13

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

$0.25 ₱15.71

140.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$89.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$62.0

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.13

$1.16 ₱72.7

32.76%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

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

$25.8K MX$438.5K

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

$90.7 MX$1,540

$55.5 ₱3,478

63.46%

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

$25.19 MX$428

$8.12 ₱509

210.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$27.63 ₱1,732

14.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,169

$24.32 ₱1,525

182.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.6

$3.31 ₱208

46.83%

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

$226 MX$3,834

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$805

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$738

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,363

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,552

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$157 ₱9,829

592.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,943

$129 ₱8,079

217.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$322 ₱20.2K

512.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$206 ₱12.9K

274.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Tagum City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $157 in Tagum City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 275% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $13.00 in Tagum City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $87.0 – making Tagum City 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 Tagum City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 200%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $652 in Tagum City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 220% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $13.00 in Tagum City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tagum City, where all-in costs run around $434, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Tagum City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tagum City – 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 Tagum City. 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.