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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,216 in Tarnow, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,691 in Tarnow, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,167 in Tarnow, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 7% more than Tarnow, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tarnow are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Tarnow 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$9.39 zł 34.23

24.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$27.08 zł 98.8

53.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.84 zł 24.96

55.56%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$2.77 zł 10.10

27.08%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$2.08 zł 7.59

-27.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$1.35 zł 4.91

-28.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.06 zł 11.14

-3.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.56 zł 12.99

25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$1.00 zł 3.63

38.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$1.25 zł 4.55

51.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$1.38 zł 5.04

18.84%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$2.58 zł 9.40

-2.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.53 zł 27.46

10.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.50 zł 23.69

28.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$9.88 zł 36.02

8.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$0.77 zł 2.82

237.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.61 zł 5.87

-9.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$1.33 zł 4.84

42.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$2.16 zł 7.86

-3.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$0.84 zł 3.08

111.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$1.08 zł 3.94

102.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$1.10 zł 4.03

-5.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.60 zł 2.18

80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$4.52 zł 16.49

-9.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$7.64 zł 27.87

35.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$0.89 zł 3.23

92.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$1.43 zł 5.20

80.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.06 zł 3.87

-51.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$33.18 zł 121

-20.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.38 zł 5.03

136.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$0.52 zł 1.89

378.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$13.76 zł 50.2

-76.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$1.75 zł 6.39

-25.14%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$33.3K zł 121.5K

-9.10%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$24.1K zł 88.0K

-2.92%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$258 zł 941

-67.89%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$7.51 zł 27.38

195.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$16.30 zł 59.4

80.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$26.92 zł 98.2

91.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$12.43 zł 45.31

47.39%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$4.78 zł 17.44

6.07%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$330 zł 1,202

-39.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,798 zł 17.5K

8.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$83.0 zł 303

-55.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$27.08 zł 98.7

46.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$81.5 zł 297

-3.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$122 zł 444

-28.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$461 zł 1,682

110.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$367 zł 1,340

27.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$660 zł 2,405

148.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$485 zł 1,769

151.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$2,835 zł 10.3K

39.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$1,907 zł 6,952

240.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,068 zł 3,893

-37.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.28

81.85%

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 Tarnow: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $461 in Tarnow. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 61% higher in Tarnow, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.00 in Tarnow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $191 – making Tarnow 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 Tarnow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 7%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,824 in Tarnow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tarnow, 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 $1,216 in Tarnow. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 25% less in Tarnow. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tarnow, where all-in costs run around $1,216, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Tarnow it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tarnow – 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 Tarnow. 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.