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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $637 in Tartus, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $990 in Tartus, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,344 in Tartus, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 99% more than Tartus, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tartus are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Tartus 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$10.01 SYP 1,217

15.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$45.16 SYP 5,487

4.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$6.95 SYP 844

70.94%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$3.60 SYP 438

10.56%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$2.29 SYP 279

-37.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.81 SYP 98.9

1.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.94 SYP 236

64.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.95 SYP 359

130.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$0.48 SYP 58.7

250.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.41 SYP 50.2

436.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$0.78 SYP 95.3

119.23%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$0.86 SYP 104

218.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$3.83 SYP 466

150.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.07 SYP 372

193.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$13.56 SYP 1,647

-5.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$1.03 SYP 125

180.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.38 SYP 167

8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.09 SYP 132

97.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$0.22 SYP 26.60

927.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$0.22 SYP 26.60

800.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.30 SYP 36.32

563.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.40 SYP 48.53

207.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.61 SYP 74.6

96.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.74 SYP 333

66.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$6.03 SYP 732

71.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.10 SYP 134

47.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.85 SYP 347

1.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.32 SYP 39.34

87.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.99 SYP 120

444.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$1.48 SYP 180

152.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$7.76 SYP 942

-25.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$3.65 SYP 443

-57.81%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$15.0K SYP 1.8M

50.19%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$18.8K SYP 2.3M

38.79%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$142 SYP 17.2K

-35.42%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$9.67 SYP 1,175

160.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$19.64 SYP 2,386

59.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$5.80 SYP 704

1058.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$5.45 SYP 663

-10.83%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$9.56 SYP 1,161

2239.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$1,801 SYP 218.8K

134.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$11.69 SYP 1,420

302.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$39.82 SYP 4,838

11.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$45.71 SYP 5,554

75.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$15.29 SYP 1,857

506.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$114 SYP 13.9K

830.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$76.3 SYP 9,268

411.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$233 SYP 28.4K

820.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$115 SYP 13.9K

1010.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$50.7 SYP 6,164

1394.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

14.25

-19.65%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Tartus: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $114 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 1395% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Tartus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $135 – 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 99%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $956 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $637 in Tartus. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $9.56 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 $637, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.