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

🙂 Solo nomad: Playa del Carmen is 40.2% cheaper than Tamarindo without rent, and 31% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Playa del Carmen is 33.8% cheaper than Tamarindo without rent, and 7.2% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Tamarindo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.58 MX$212
$11.12 ₡5,432
4.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42 MX$769
$58.5 ₡28.6K
-28.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.5 MX$192
$9.77 ₡4,774
7.47%
Cappuccino
$3.43 MX$62.8
$3.76 ₡1,838
-8.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49 MX$27.34
$2.04 ₡995
-26.96%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 MX$17.27
$1.58 ₡773
-40.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.08 MX$56.3
$3.06 ₡1,495
0.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37 MX$79.9
$4.53 ₡2,214
-3.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Tamarindo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.39 MX$25.44
$1.96 ₡956
-29.08%
White Bread (500g)
$1.85 MX$33.81
$2.76 ₡1,348
-32.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.58 MX$28.88
$2.21 ₡1,081
-28.51%
Eggs
$2.51 MX$46
$2.93 ₡1,430
-14.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.26 MX$151
$9.92 ₡4,845
-16.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.7 MX$159
$9.21 ₡4,499
-5.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.73 MX$196
$13.5 ₡6,597
-20.52%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 MX$47.74
$4.48 ₡2,190
-41.74%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 MX$27.28
$1.45 ₡710
2.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.95 MX$35.72
$3.25 ₡1,587
-40.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$38.26
$3.53 ₡1,723
-40.79%
Potato (1kg)
$1.81 MX$33.05
$2.31 ₡1,128
-21.65%
Onion (1kg)
$2.16 MX$39.62
$3.02 ₡1,476
-28.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 MX$18.85
$0.95 ₡462
8.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 MX$19.7
$2.83 ₡1,385
-61.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 MX$75.9
$4.93 ₡2,410
-16.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.88 MX$163
$12.27 ₡5,995
-27.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$30.64
$2.45 ₡1,196
-31.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 MX$46.31
$2.9 ₡1,418
-12.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Tamarindo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$9.27
$1.94 ₡948
-73.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.68 MX$488
$56 ₡27.3K
-52.34%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.26 MX$59.7
$1.78 ₡871
83.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.51 MX$45.94
$1.77 ₡865
41.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.12 MX$57.2
$5.85 ₡2,859
-46.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$23.96
$1.45 ₡708
-9.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K MX$565K
$36.5K ₡17.8M
-15.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9K MX$436.9K
$32.7K ₡16M
-26.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Tamarindo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83 MX$1,520
$94.2 ₡46K
-11.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.59 MX$414
$22.16 ₡10.8K
1.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.51 MX$540
$53 ₡25.9K
-44.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Tamarindo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.6 MX$944
$99.9 ₡48.8K
-48.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.42 MX$337
$23.91 ₡11.7K
-22.96%
Cinema Ticket
$4.9 MX$89.7
$6.94 ₡3,391
-29.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Tamarindo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$200 MX$3,668
$534 ₡260.6K
-62.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,179 MX$94.8K
$8,892 ₡4.3M
-41.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Tamarindo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.41 MX$667
$63.1 ₡30.8K
-42.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.91 MX$731
$23.63 ₡11.5K
68.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 MX$1,462
$111 ₡54.4K
-28.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.7 MX$1,605
$108 ₡52.6K
-18.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Tamarindo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$983 MX$18K
$1,775 ₡867.4K
-44.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$470 MX$8,612
$799 ₡390.4K
-41.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,610 MX$29.5K
$2,950 ₡1.4M
-45.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,189 MX$21.8K
$896 ₡437.6K
32.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,839 MX$70.3K
$5,452 ₡2.7M
-29.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,205 MX$113.6K
$3,224 ₡1.6M
92.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Tamarindo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$724 MX$13.2K
$896 ₡437.6K
-19.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
9
26.89%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 30, 2025

Last update for Tamarindo: December 1, 2025

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