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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $382 in Tarija, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $447 in Tarija, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $512 in Tarija, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 242% more than Tarija, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tarija are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Tarija 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$2.03 BOB 24.29

489.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$7.13 BOB 85.4

564.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$3.48 BOB 41.66

237.64%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.25 BOB 14.95

229.60%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.86 BOB 10.25

62.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.62 BOB 7.46

46.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.23 BOB 14.69

160.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$1.64 BOB 19.62

331.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.40 BOB 4.78

320.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.70 BOB 8.35

207.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$0.50 BOB 5.94

254.00%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.50 BOB 17.93

88.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$2.82 BOB 33.81

226.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$2.35 BOB 28.11

292.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$3.52 BOB 42.13

259.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$0.93 BOB 11.19

69.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.23 BOB 2.75

439.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.66 BOB 7.87

83.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$1.97 BOB 23.65

434.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.11 BOB 13.31

52.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$0.76 BOB 9.15

264.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.13 BOB 1.59

361.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.42 BOB 5.02

1147.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.54 BOB 6.43

575.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$2.76 BOB 33.11

109.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.45 BOB 5.43

242.22%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$10.8K BOB 128.8K

112.05%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$14.2K BOB 170.6K

81.31%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$19.91 BOB 238

355.40%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$17.17 BOB 206

46.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$19.02 BOB 228

66.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$18.92 BOB 227

263.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$3.58 BOB 42.92

35.75%

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$24.48 BOB 293

93.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$28.59 BOB 342

180.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$194 BOB 2,319

460.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$145 BOB 1,740

181.41%

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

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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 Tarija: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $194 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $7.00 in Tarija. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $75.0 – 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 242%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $573 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.

Groceries cost about 270% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $7.00 in Tarija. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tarija, where all-in costs run around $382, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.