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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $553 in Taraz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $886 in Taraz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,220 in Taraz, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 135% more than Taraz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Taraz are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Taraz 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.89 ₸2,885

99.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$19.45 ₸9,534

113.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.71 ₸2,799

86.34%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.35 ₸663

160.74%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.79 ₸388

91.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.37 ₸184

162.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.16 ₸567

154.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$1.58 ₸772

181.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.01 ₸494

36.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.38 ₸185

397.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.14 ₸557

43.86%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.73 ₸850

45.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.55 ₸4,189

-2.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.61 ₸2,258

80.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.18 ₸3,519

49.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.31 ₸641

98.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.88 ₸923

-22.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.90 ₸931

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.88 ₸922

10.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.55 ₸268

223.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.38 ₸185

476.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.92 ₸452

13.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.71 ₸349

52.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.97 ₸966

107.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$3.97 ₸1,945

159.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.01 ₸494

69.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.52 ₸744

69.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.16 ₸80.2

218.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.75 ₸368

334.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.41 ₸202

507.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$3.43 ₸1,680

-5.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.45 ₸221

191.11%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$20.0K ₸9.8M

51.27%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$21.7K ₸10.6M

8.19%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$50.8 ₸24.9K

63.10%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$8.00 ₸3,922

177.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$7.83 ₸3,837

274.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$32.35 ₸15.9K

59.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$3.84 ₸1,881

32.03%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$208 ₸102.0K

-3.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,932 ₸2.4M

5.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$23.71 ₸11.6K

55.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$38.49 ₸18.9K

3.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$99.3 ₸48.7K

-20.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$59.1 ₸28.9K

47.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$236 ₸115.8K

311.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$99.6 ₸48.8K

369.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$390 ₸191.2K

320.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$173 ₸84.6K

607.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$783 ₸383.5K

404.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$558 ₸273.6K

1063.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$252 ₸123.5K

163.40%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Taraz: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $236 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 163% 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 $19.00 in Taraz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $161 – 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 135%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $829 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $553 in Taraz. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $208 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 $553, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.