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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $747 in Tarija, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $985 in Tarija, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,224 in Tarija, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 68% more than Tarija, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tarija are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Tarija 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.59 BOB 38.60

233.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$14.28 BOB 153

192.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$6.31 BOB 67.8

70.36%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.48 BOB 26.63

41.13%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.48 BOB 15.93

-2.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.00 BOB 10.74

-12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.56 BOB 16.72

89.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.24 BOB 24.13

101.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.77 BOB 8.30

85.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.43 BOB 15.36

28.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.18 BOB 12.64

33.05%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.58 BOB 27.76

-2.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$4.83 BOB 51.9

71.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.20 BOB 55.9

62.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$6.34 BOB 68.2

68.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.49 BOB 16.05

75.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.28 BOB 13.72

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.11 BOB 11.97

76.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.23 BOB 23.93

-6.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.49 BOB 16.03

24.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.43 BOB 15.41

51.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.35 BOB 3.80

194.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.33 BOB 14.34

-19.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.84 BOB 30.52

44.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$3.70 BOB 39.81

174.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.90 BOB 20.40

-11.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.89 BOB 20.29

33.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.28 BOB 2.97

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$31.22 BOB 336

-16.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.07 BOB 11.47

201.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.19 BOB 12.78

102.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$4.85 BOB 52.1

-33.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.51 BOB 5.49

158.82%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$19.6K BOB 211.0K

51.28%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$21.6K BOB 231.7K

9.78%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$51.2 BOB 550

60.24%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$27.84 BOB 299

-17.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$42.31 BOB 455

-28.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$35.41 BOB 381

46.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$4.43 BOB 47.65

318.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$7.38 BOB 79.3

-32.52%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$60.8 BOB 654

224.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$1,327 BOB 14.3K

302.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$25.34 BOB 272

40.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$29.21 BOB 314

38.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$39.55 BOB 425

99.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$21.81 BOB 234

307.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$320 BOB 3,441

195.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$226 BOB 2,428

109.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$514 BOB 5,528

219.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$116 BOB 1,242

947.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.5

107.64%

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 Tarija: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $320 in Tarija. 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 $14.00 in Tarija. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $173 – making Tarija 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 Tarija: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 68%, 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 $1,121 in Tarija. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tarija, 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 $747 in Tarija. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 20% less in Tarija. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tarija, where all-in costs run around $747, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Tarija it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tarija – 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 Tarija. 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.