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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,326 in Tampico, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,040 in Tampico, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,754 in Tampico, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 5% cheaper than Tampico, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tampico are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Tampico 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$8.55 MX$147

35.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$45.85 MX$791

2.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$8.64 MX$149

37.50%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.23 MX$55.6

23.22%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.34 MX$23.10

6.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.90 MX$15.48

-8.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.95 MX$50.9

8.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$4.32 MX$74.6

57.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.60 MX$27.62

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$4.43 MX$76.4

-50.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.49 MX$25.68

14.77%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$4.36 MX$75.2

-37.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$5.33 MX$92.0

79.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$10.84 MX$187

-16.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$14.22 MX$245

-9.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.65 MX$62.9

-20.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.27 MX$21.82

18.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.26 MX$39.05

-4.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.39 MX$41.22

-5.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.27 MX$39.11

-12.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$3.02 MX$52.1

-34.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.28 MX$39.27

-46.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.95 MX$16.39

26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$4.56 MX$78.7

-0.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$11.16 MX$192

-7.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.97 MX$34.00

-17.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$3.14 MX$54.1

-8.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.84 MX$14.42

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$29.39 MX$507

-2.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$2.73 MX$47.00

97.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$2.88 MX$49.58

29.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$12.02 MX$207

-52.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.42 MX$24.52

8.45%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$34.8K MX$599.9K

-35.20%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$25.5K MX$439.6K

2.21%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$61.5 MX$1,060

48.59%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$29.63 MX$511

-14.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$25.15 MX$434

24.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$45.40 MX$783

48.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$17.20 MX$297

69.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$5.51 MX$95.0

-11.80%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$246 MX$4,236

-8.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$4,846 MX$83.6K

-12.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$78.8 MX$1,359

-40.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$70.7 MX$1,218

-37.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$178 MX$3,070

-55.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$90.9 MX$1,567

1.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$558 MX$9,623

90.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$412 MX$7,099

-5.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,092 MX$18.8K

96.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$701 MX$12.1K

81.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,810 MX$31.2K

121.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,393 MX$24.0K

366.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$587 MX$10.1K

29.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

11.3

1.33%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Tampico: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $558 in Tampico. 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 29% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $46.00 in Tampico. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $315 in Tampico – so Playa del Carmen 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 Tampico: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tampico is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,989 in Tampico. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,326 in Tampico. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Tampico at $1,326. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tampico it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tampico makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.