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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $738 in Talisay City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,126 in Talisay City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,514 in Talisay City, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$199

$3.77 ₱236

210.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$791

$16.92 ₱1,058

175.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$198

$2.78 ₱174

319.06%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.5

$2.24 ₱140

82.59%

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

$1.37 MX$23.34

$0.63 ₱39.39

117.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.16

$0.35 ₱21.60

137.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.9

$1.08 ₱67.3

210.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$1.90 ₱119

263.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.33

$1.69 ₱106

2.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.39

$1.11 ₱69.7

103.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.05

$0.89 ₱55.9

98.88%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.41

$1.90 ₱119

43.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$156

$5.47 ₱342

67.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$4.22 ₱264

111.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$214

$7.23 ₱452

74.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.3

$2.68 ₱168

12.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.68

$1.66 ₱104

-5.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.10

$2.35 ₱147

-9.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.46

$1.32 ₱82.8

71.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.04

$2.17 ₱135

-7.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.06

$1.93 ₱121

6.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$20.04

$0.91 ₱57.2

29.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.45

$0.60 ₱37.66

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.7

$2.94 ₱184

57.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$182

$7.33 ₱458

45.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.50

$0.84 ₱52.6

92.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.93

$2.26 ₱141

27.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.74

$0.27 ₱16.97

111.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

$11.10 ₱694

168.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.5

$0.83 ₱51.8

556.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.9

$0.26 ₱16.37

1323.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$102

$1.95 ₱122

206.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.38

$1.17 ₱73.1

32.48%

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

$22.3K MX$379.2K

$18.3K ₱1.1M

21.96%

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

$25.9K MX$440.7K

$20.0K ₱1.2M

30.07%

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

$89.1 MX$1,514

$123 ₱7,710

-27.71%

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

$25.04 MX$425

$17.08 ₱1,068

46.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$535

$25.08 ₱1,568

25.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,151

$33.69 ₱2,107

101.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

$5.27 ₱329

448.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.8

$4.96 ₱310

1.81%

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

$225 MX$3,820

$131 ₱8,197

71.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.7K

$8,171 ₱511.0K

-48.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$806

$30.50 ₱1,907

55.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$764

$20.04 ₱1,253

124.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,392

$70.8 ₱4,426

15.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,564

$52.3 ₱3,269

76.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.2K

$264 ₱16.5K

304.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,884

$193 ₱12.1K

110.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.9K

$463 ₱28.9K

318.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.1K

$391 ₱24.5K

232.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

$2,651 ₱165.8K

50.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.5K

$912 ₱57.0K

626.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$341 ₱21.3K

119.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.75

69.63%

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 Talisay City: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $264 in Talisay 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 119% 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 $17.00 in Talisay City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $183 – making Talisay 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 Talisay City: 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 $1,107 in Talisay City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Talisay City, 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 $738 in Talisay City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 169% less in Talisay City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Talisay City, where all-in costs run around $738, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Talisay 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 Talisay City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Talisay 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.