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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $906 in Tak, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,476 in Tak, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,047 in Tak, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 43% more than Tak, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tak are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Tak 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$205

$3.10 ฿102

278.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$727

$27.73 ฿910

50.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$186

$6.22 ฿204

71.06%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.5

$2.10 ฿68.8

67.62%

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

$1.51 MX$26.37

$0.68 ฿22.16

122.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.00

$0.35 ฿11.46

177.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$2.45 ฿80.3

20.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.8

$3.78 ฿124

17.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.16

$1.77 ฿58.0

-22.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$33.04

$1.36 ฿44.54

38.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.59

$1.28 ฿41.84

28.12%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.76

$2.20 ฿72.3

14.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$18.80 ฿617

-55.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$2.97 ฿97.4

180.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$187

$10.60 ฿348

1.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.48

$3.23 ฿106

-19.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.45

$1.19 ฿39.18

22.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.19

$1.96 ฿64.3

-3.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.26

$1.54 ฿50.6

35.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.01

$1.49 ฿48.87

19.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.16

$1.25 ฿40.88

75.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.16

$1.02 ฿33.47

1.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.80

$0.52 ฿17.07

107.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.3

$4.34 ฿142

-5.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$180

$15.76 ฿517

-34.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.90

$1.80 ฿59.1

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.98

$2.76 ฿90.6

-6.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$0.91 ฿29.72

-43.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.0

$1.05 ฿34.55

210.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.51

$1.15 ฿37.70

116.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.7

$6.12 ฿201

-46.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.83

$1.30 ฿42.53

0.77%

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

$30.3K MX$528.8K

$27.6K ฿905.6K

9.71%

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

$23.4K MX$409.2K

$27.7K ฿907.8K

-15.32%

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

$82.9 MX$1,447

$75.7 ฿2,482

9.54%

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

$22.22 MX$388

$13.57 ฿445

63.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$512

$18.37 ฿603

59.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$902

$48.45 ฿1,590

6.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

$12.30 ฿404

48.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$88.5

$6.92 ฿227

-26.73%

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

$201 MX$3,507

$299 ฿9,818

-32.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.0K

$9,682 ฿317.7K

-46.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$645

$33.09 ฿1,086

11.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$695

$34.27 ฿1,124

16.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,370

$99.3 ฿3,257

-20.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,521

$69.7 ฿2,285

25.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$17.0K

$429 ฿14.1K

126.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,169

$282 ฿9,247

65.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.7K

$814 ฿26.7K

101.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.3K

$661 ฿21.7K

84.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

$2,220 ฿72.8K

77.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.5K

$1,379 ฿45.2K

371.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.45

109.54%

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 Tak: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $429 in Tak. 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 $28.00 in Tak. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $250 in Tak – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Tak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 43%, 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 $1,359 in Tak. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tak, 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 $906 in Tak. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $299 in Tak. 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 Tak, where all-in costs run around $906, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Tak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tak – 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 Tak. 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.