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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $384 in Tarhuna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $578 in Tarhuna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $772 in Tarhuna, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 238% more than Tarhuna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tarhuna are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Tarhuna 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.49 LYD 28.54

161.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$18.08 LYD 115

130.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.64 LYD 23.15

192.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.53 LYD 3.39

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 LYD 4.58

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$0.49 LYD 3.10

618.37%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.45 LYD 2.89

235.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.12 LYD 0.75

708.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.02 LYD 6.50

35.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.21 LYD 1.33

800.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.19 LYD 7.59

37.82%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.48 LYD 9.44

69.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.87 LYD 30.96

71.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.30 LYD 21.02

152.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.27 LYD 65.3

4.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.12 LYD 13.45

22.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.34 LYD 8.50

8.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$0.76 LYD 4.86

150.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.57 LYD 3.60

264.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.65 LYD 4.14

173.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.52 LYD 3.34

321.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.42 LYD 2.66

147.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.20 LYD 1.27

440.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.24 LYD 7.89

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 LYD 4.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 LYD 4.33

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$1.86 LYD 11.80

119.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.96 LYD 6.11

239.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.86 LYD 5.44

189.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$4.72 LYD 30.03

-31.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.03 LYD 0.20

4266.67%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$13.9K LYD 88.1K

118.53%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$16.2K LYD 103.2K

44.41%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$32.24 LYD 205

157.04%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$8.04 LYD 51.1

176.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$22.74 LYD 145

29.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$4.47 LYD 28.44

13.42%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$53.2 LYD 339

277.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$913 LYD 5,805

470.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$21.46 LYD 136

72.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$35.02 LYD 223

13.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$50.2 LYD 319

56.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$55.0 LYD 349

58.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$91.8 LYD 584

959.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$63.4 LYD 403

637.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Tarhuna: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $91.8 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 $18.00 in Tarhuna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $117 – 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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 238%, 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 $576 in Tarhuna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $384 in Tarhuna. 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 $53.2 in Tarhuna. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tarhuna, where all-in costs run around $384, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Tarhuna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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.