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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,025 in Tamási, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,585 in Tamási, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,145 in Tamási, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 24% more than Tamási, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tamási are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Tamási 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$7.67 Ft 2,365

54.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$45.89 Ft 14.2K

-6.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$5.63 Ft 1,736

89.17%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$2.06 Ft 636

67.48%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$1.49 Ft 460

0.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$1.39 Ft 428

-31.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$2.27 Ft 700

33.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

$2.12 Ft 653

117.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$1.05 Ft 324

31.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.60 Ft 494

15.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$1.18 Ft 364

36.44%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$2.04 Ft 628

26.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$7.70 Ft 2,375

7.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$5.65 Ft 1,744

48.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$11.26 Ft 3,473

-5.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$1.37 Ft 422

91.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$1.41 Ft 434

5.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$1.75 Ft 538

9.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$2.77 Ft 855

-24.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$0.96 Ft 296

93.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$1.19 Ft 366

89.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$1.43 Ft 441

-25.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$0.48 Ft 148

127.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$6.36 Ft 1,962

-34.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$4.16 Ft 1,284

149.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$0.92 Ft 285

86.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

$1.46 Ft 450

78.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

$1.18 Ft 364

-54.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

$25.37 Ft 7,823

6.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$2.88 Ft 887

8.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$1.29 Ft 398

94.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$17.46 Ft 5,385

-81.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$1.68 Ft 519

-24.40%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$26.2K Ft 8.1M

15.76%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$25.3K Ft 7.8M

-6.70%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$105 Ft 32.3K

-20.78%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$24.87 Ft 7,669

-8.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$13.41 Ft 4,136

119.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

$46.78 Ft 14.4K

9.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

$16.60 Ft 5,119

10.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$6.98 Ft 2,151

-29.37%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$223 Ft 68.7K

-11.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$6,210 Ft 1.9M

-14.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$82.9 Ft 25.6K

-55.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$29.76 Ft 9,177

34.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$69.5 Ft 21.4K

15.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$58.1 Ft 17.9K

54.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$451 Ft 139.0K

112.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

$339 Ft 104.6K

40.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$633 Ft 195.3K

159.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

$539 Ft 166.3K

127.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

$3,333 Ft 1.0M

17.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

$2,104 Ft 648.9K

206.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

$1,251 Ft 385.6K

-46.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.85

95.21%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Tamási: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $451 in Tamási. 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 87% higher in Tamási, 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 $46.00 in Tamási. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $193 in Tamási – so Tamási 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 Tamási: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 24%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,537 in Tamási. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tamási, 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,025 in Tamási. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 6% less in Tamási. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tamási, where all-in costs run around $1,025, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Tamási it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tamási – 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 Tamási. 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.