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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $771 in Talisay City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,190 in Talisay City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,608 in Talisay City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 63% 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 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$3.59 ₱221

233.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$17.81 ₱1,097

134.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$3.34 ₱206

221.86%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.37 ₱146

47.68%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.77 ₱47.62

88.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.39 ₱24.25

125.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.31 ₱80.5

125.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.09 ₱129

115.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.91 ₱118

-25.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$1.27 ₱78.0

44.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$0.96 ₱58.9

63.54%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.06 ₱127

21.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$8.23 ₱507

0.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$4.30 ₱265

96.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$7.70 ₱474

38.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$2.88 ₱178

-9.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.55 ₱95.3

-7.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$2.61 ₱161

-24.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.59 ₱98.0

31.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$2.31 ₱142

-19.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.49 ₱154

-12.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.12 ₱68.9

-8.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.77 ₱47.13

38.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$2.77 ₱170

48.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$7.48 ₱461

35.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.16 ₱71.4

44.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.96 ₱121

29.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.26 ₱15.83

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.81 ₱50.1

298.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.24 ₱14.80

904.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$2.09 ₱129

54.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.11 ₱68.3

18.92%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$26.6K ₱1.6M

11.83%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$20.3K ₱1.3M

16.41%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$113 ₱6,933

-27.17%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$32.61 ₱2,008

-29.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$28.00 ₱1,724

7.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$33.66 ₱2,072

54.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$4.47 ₱275

314.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$5.84 ₱360

-14.73%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$150 ₱9,254

31.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$4,331 ₱266.7K

23.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$45.51 ₱2,802

-21.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$26.29 ₱1,619

53.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$75.0 ₱4,619

4.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$54.0 ₱3,326

64.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$265 ₱16.3K

257.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$175 ₱10.8K

170.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$582 ₱35.8K

182.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$394 ₱24.3K

207.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$2,750 ₱169.3K

47.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$995 ₱61.2K

550.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$346 ₱21.3K

88.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.67

71.21%

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 Talisay City: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $265 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 89% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $18.00 in Talisay City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $206 – 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 63%, 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 $1,157 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $771 in Talisay City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $150 in Talisay City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Talisay City, where all-in costs run around $771, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.