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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $391 in Tarhuna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $583 in Tarhuna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $774 in Tarhuna, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 221% more than Tarhuna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tarhuna are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Tarhuna 71% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Tarhuna
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.99 MX$209
$4.49 LYD 28.59
167.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78 MX$728
$18.59 LYD 118
124.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.75 MX$187
$3.73 LYD 23.78
188.20%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.54 LYD 3.42
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.71 LYD 4.55
-
Cappuccino
$3.50 MX$60.9
$0.52 LYD 3.32
573.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 MX$25.22
$0.48 LYD 3.08
202.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 MX$15.41
$0.12 LYD 0.78
633.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 MX$51.3
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.51 MX$78.6
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Tarhuna
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.94
$1.04 LYD 6.61
37.50%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 MX$31.99
$0.21 LYD 1.33
776.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 MX$27.31
$1.24 LYD 7.93
26.61%
Eggs
$2.51 MX$43.74
$1.51 LYD 9.63
66.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.28 MX$144
$4.94 LYD 31.50
67.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.43 MX$147
$3.35 LYD 21.33
151.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.68 MX$186
$10.26 LYD 65.4
4.09%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 MX$45.43
$2.20 LYD 14.01
18.64%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 MX$25.04
$1.34 LYD 8.56
7.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 MX$34.16
$0.82 LYD 5.23
139.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$36.47
$0.52 LYD 3.31
301.92%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 MX$32.24
$0.70 LYD 4.44
164.29%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.74
$0.57 LYD 3.62
280.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 MX$17.96
$0.38 LYD 2.45
171.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MX$18.70
$0.20 LYD 1.27
435.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$1.29 LYD 8.20
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.67 LYD 4.28
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.64 LYD 4.08
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.10 MX$71.4
$1.87 LYD 11.88
119.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.17 MX$177
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$29.17
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 MX$43.98
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Tarhuna
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$8.87
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.04 MX$453
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.3
$0.95 LYD 6.05
240.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.41 MX$41.88
$0.88 LYD 5.61
173.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.2
$4.60 LYD 29.30
-29.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 MX$23.00
$0.03 LYD 0.17
4300.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K MX$517.1K
$13.6K LYD 86.8K
118.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7K MX$412.0K
$16.6K LYD 105.8K
42.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Tarhuna
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,428
$31.93 LYD 203
156.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.95 MX$400
$8.34 LYD 53.1
175.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.11 MX$524
$22.58 LYD 144
33.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Tarhuna
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.0 MX$905
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.53 MX$323
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.98 MX$86.6
$4.54 LYD 28.91
9.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Tarhuna
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,438
$51.7 LYD 330
281.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,336 MX$92.9K
$923 LYD 5,881
477.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Tarhuna
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.60 MX$620
$21.71 LYD 138
63.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.33 MX$702
$35.18 LYD 224
14.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 MX$1,371
$49.69 LYD 317
58.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,549
$55.7 LYD 355
59.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Tarhuna
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$947 MX$16.5K
$90.5 LYD 577
946.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$474 MX$8,254
$63.0 LYD 401
652.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,644 MX$28.6K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,211 MX$21.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,056 MX$70.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,470 MX$112.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Tarhuna
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 MX$11.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
17.5
-34.74%

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 Tarhuna: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $90.5 in Tarhuna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Tarhuna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $118 – 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 221%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $587 in Tarhuna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tarhuna, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Tarhuna?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $391 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 $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $51.7 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 $391, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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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