😐A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $986 in Tamarin, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,676 in Tamarin, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,366 in Tamarin, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 30% more than Tamarin, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Tamarin are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen4% lower, Tamarin26% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Tamarin
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$6.48MUR 303
84.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$42.52MUR 1,989
0.54%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$5.44MUR 255
94.67%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$2.54MUR 119
42.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$0.92MUR 43.19
59.78%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.55MUR 25.79
70.91%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$1.69MUR 79.2
82.84%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$1.80MUR 84.3
147.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Tamarin
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.49MUR 69.8
-4.03%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$0.37MUR 17.13
408.11%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$1.26MUR 59.0
29.37%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$2.14MUR 100
23.36%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$5.59MUR 262
46.87%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$6.04MUR 282
37.25%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$10.06MUR 471
10.34%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$1.99MUR 93.2
33.17%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$2.02MUR 94.7
-25.74%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$1.43MUR 66.9
39.16%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$2.70MUR 126
-22.96%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$1.01MUR 47.48
77.23%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$1.00MUR 46.96
118.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$0.80MUR 37.32
35.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.74MUR 34.77
40.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$6.41MUR 300
-38.07%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$8.81MUR 412
15.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$1.74MUR 81.6
-0.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$1.70MUR 79.4
47.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Tamarin
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$1.12MUR 52.2
-53.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
$11.13MUR 521
142.32%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$4.32MUR 202
-27.31%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$2.62MUR 123
-8.40%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$6.73MUR 315
-54.09%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$1.25MUR 58.6
1.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$28.9KMUR 1.4M
7.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$27.4KMUR 1.3M
-14.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Tamarin
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$48.56MUR 2,272
68.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$16.37MUR 766
37.14%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$30.26MUR 1,416
-1.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Tamarin
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$49.33MUR 2,308
5.15%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
$10.95MUR 512
70.50%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$6.02MUR 282
-17.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Tamarin
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$150MUR 7,004
32.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$3,109MUR 145.5K
69.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Tamarin
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$58.1MUR 2,716
-37.40%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$47.77MUR 2,235
-16.16%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$86.8MUR 4,061
-7.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$58.1MUR 2,717
53.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Tamarin
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$756MUR 35.3K
27.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$386MUR 18.1K
20.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$1,426MUR 66.7K
11.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$921MUR 43.1K
31.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Tamarin
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
$861MUR 40.3K
-16.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
6
90.33%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Tamarin: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $756 in Tamarin. 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 20% higher in Tamarin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $43.00 in Tamarin. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $198 in Tamarin – so Tamarin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Tamarin: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Tamarin cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,480 in Tamarin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tamarin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Tamarin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $986 in Tamarin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 142% less in Tamarin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Tamarin?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tamarin, where all-in costs run around $986, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Tamarin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Tamarin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Tamarin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Tamarin?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Tamarin. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado