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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $363 in Tarhuna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $566 in Tarhuna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $770 in Tarhuna, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 259% more than Tarhuna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tarhuna are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Tarhuna 74% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Tarhuna
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.96 MX$203
$4.06 LYD 25.62
194.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.38 MX$804
$14.86 LYD 93.8
218.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.75 MX$199
$2.46 LYD 15.51
377.64%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.62 LYD 3.90
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.61 LYD 3.85
-
Cappuccino
$4.12 MX$70.0
$0.46 LYD 2.92
795.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 MX$23.74
$0.45 LYD 2.85
211.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.48
$0.11 LYD 0.71
727.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.21 MX$54.4
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.07 MX$120
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Tarhuna
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.44
$0.97 LYD 6.10
73.20%
White Bread (500g)
$2.15 MX$36.48
$0.20 LYD 1.26
975.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 MX$30.10
$1.13 LYD 7.12
56.64%
Eggs
$2.82 MX$47.76
$1.35 LYD 8.53
108.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.20 MX$156
$5.02 LYD 31.67
83.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.23 MX$157
$3.25 LYD 20.49
184.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.64 MX$214
$9.84 LYD 62.1
28.46%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 MX$50.1
$2.33 LYD 14.68
26.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 MX$26.79
$1.53 LYD 9.66
3.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 MX$37.70
$0.72 LYD 4.56
208.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.36 MX$40.09
$0.57 LYD 3.58
314.04%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 MX$33.81
$0.71 LYD 4.48
180.28%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 MX$33.58
$0.47 LYD 2.94
321.28%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 MX$21.04
$0.43 LYD 2.71
188.37%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$20.55
$0.21 LYD 1.29
476.19%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$1.82 LYD 11.52
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.07 LYD 6.76
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.83 LYD 5.26
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.60 MX$78.1
$2.01 LYD 12.71
128.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.52 MX$178
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 MX$28.70
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 MX$47.06
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Tarhuna
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.22
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.70 MX$504
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.24 MX$88.8
$0.75 LYD 4.75
598.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.65 MX$61.9
$0.49 LYD 3.11
644.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.78 MX$98.1
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.09
$0.02 LYD 0.14
7600.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8K MX$386.8K
$23.2K LYD 146.6K
-1.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K MX$437.9K
$14.2K LYD 89.8K
81.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Tarhuna
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$90.7 MX$1,538
$95.6 LYD 603
-5.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.19 MX$427
$5.85 LYD 36.92
330.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.75 MX$539
$27.24 LYD 172
16.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Tarhuna
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.8 MX$1,167
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.37 MX$498
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$82.5
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Tarhuna
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$226 MX$3,828
$53.0 LYD 335
325.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,194 MX$71.1K
$613 LYD 3,871
583.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Tarhuna
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.38 MX$804
$20.89 LYD 132
126.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.45 MX$737
$17.65 LYD 111
146.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.2 MX$1,361
$55.8 LYD 352
43.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4 MX$1,550
$67.0 LYD 423
36.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Tarhuna
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,086 MX$18.4K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$409 MX$6,933
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,972 MX$33.5K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,281 MX$21.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,046 MX$68.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,704 MX$113.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Tarhuna
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$773 MX$13.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
0
-

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Tarhuna: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $15.00 in Tarhuna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $116 – making Tarhuna 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 Tarhuna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tarhuna cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 259%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $545 in Tarhuna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Tarhuna?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $363 in Tarhuna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $53.0 in Tarhuna. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Tarhuna?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tarhuna, where all-in costs run around $363, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Tarhuna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Tarhuna more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Tarhuna – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Tarhuna. 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.

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