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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $555 in Taraz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $888 in Taraz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,221 in Taraz, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 127% more than Taraz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Taraz are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Taraz 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$5.82 ₸2,739

106.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$19.52 ₸9,191

114.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$5.95 ₸2,802

80.67%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.36 ₸639

157.35%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.76 ₸360

90.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.38 ₸177

131.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.20 ₸563

145.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$1.60 ₸755

181.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$0.94 ₸443

52.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.38 ₸178

384.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.14 ₸536

37.72%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.73 ₸816

45.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$8.78 ₸4,134

-5.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$4.56 ₸2,148

84.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$7.29 ₸3,432

46.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.30 ₸612

100.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.89 ₸891

-23.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.93 ₸907

1.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.88 ₸885

11.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.54 ₸255

242.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.41 ₸191

429.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.99 ₸467

4.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.76 ₸360

40.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$1.98 ₸930

107.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$4.11 ₸1,934

147.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$0.92 ₸434

82.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.59 ₸747

59.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.18 ₸84.6

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.77 ₸360

319.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.38 ₸180

534.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$3.44 ₸1,619

-6.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$0.45 ₸213

193.33%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$20.3K ₸9.5M

46.55%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$21.3K ₸10.0M

11.07%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$50.1 ₸23.6K

63.66%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$7.87 ₸3,707

191.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$7.73 ₸3,641

289.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$32.02 ₸15.1K

62.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$3.84 ₸1,806

29.69%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$211 ₸99.1K

-6.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$4,944 ₸2.3M

7.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$23.76 ₸11.2K

49.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$38.49 ₸18.1K

4.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$98.6 ₸46.4K

-20.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$58.0 ₸27.3K

53.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$237 ₸111.8K

298.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$98.7 ₸46.5K

380.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$398 ₸187.3K

313.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$179 ₸84.1K

577.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$812 ₸382.5K

399.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$563 ₸265.2K

1048.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$264 ₸124.4K

147.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

16.25

-29.72%

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 Taraz: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $237 in Taraz. 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 147% 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 $20.00 in Taraz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $162 – making Taraz 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 Taraz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 127%, 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 $832 in Taraz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taraz, 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 $555 in Taraz. 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 $211 in Taraz. 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 Taraz, where all-in costs run around $555, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Taraz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taraz – 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 Taraz. 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.