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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $481 in Tartus, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $740 in Tartus, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $999 in Tartus, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 170% more than Tartus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tartus are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Tartus 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.05 SYP 669

93.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$27.02 SYP 2,986

54.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.38 SYP 594

97.77%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$0.76 SYP 84.4

363.16%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.14 SYP 126

32.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.72 SYP 79.2

34.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.56 SYP 172

89.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.46 SYP 272

80.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.00 SYP 111

38.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.58 SYP 64.2

225.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.53 SYP 169

7.19%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.36 SYP 150

84.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.13 SYP 346

166.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.69 SYP 850

8.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.93 SYP 876

35.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$0.87 SYP 95.8

198.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.24 SYP 137

17.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.03 SYP 114

84.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.95 SYP 104

118.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.63 SYP 69.4

182.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.66 SYP 73.0

231.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.38 SYP 41.94

173.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.62 SYP 68.3

74.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.04 SYP 336

34.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$5.80 SYP 640

77.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$0.98 SYP 108

74.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.83 SYP 202

40.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.62 SYP 69.0

425.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.22 SYP 134

104.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$6.58 SYP 727

-50.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.18 SYP 131

11.02%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$18.5K SYP 2.0M

63.56%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$20.8K SYP 2.3M

12.71%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$102 SYP 11.3K

-18.68%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$8.44 SYP 933

163.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$35.28 SYP 3,898

-16.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$11.96 SYP 1,322

331.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$3.04 SYP 336

66.78%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$43.54 SYP 4,811

361.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,838 SYP 203.1K

183.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$20.10 SYP 2,221

83.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$25.63 SYP 2,832

55.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$45.41 SYP 5,018

72.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$40.25 SYP 4,447

116.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$98.8 SYP 10.9K

884.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$50.8 SYP 5,607

1208.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.75

-16.95%

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 Tartus: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $98.8 in Tartus. 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 1208% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.00 in Tartus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $152 – making Tartus 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 Tartus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 170%, 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 $721 in Tartus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tartus, 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 $481 in Tartus. 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 $43.54 in Tartus. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tartus, where all-in costs run around $481, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Tartus it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tartus – 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 Tartus. 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.