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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $483 in Tartus, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $760 in Tartus, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,037 in Tartus, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 160% more than Tartus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tartus are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Tartus 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$6.18 SYP 751

94.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$27.98 SYP 3,400

49.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$5.51 SYP 670

95.10%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$0.78 SYP 94.8

348.72%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.12 SYP 137

29.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.69 SYP 83.5

27.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.64 SYP 200

79.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.46 SYP 299

83.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.00 SYP 122

43.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.63 SYP 76.2

192.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.53 SYP 186

2.61%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.40 SYP 170

79.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$3.10 SYP 377

167.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$7.52 SYP 914

12.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$8.10 SYP 985

31.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$0.93 SYP 113

180.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.22 SYP 149

18.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.98 SYP 120

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.96 SYP 117

117.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.62 SYP 75.6

198.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.67 SYP 81.4

223.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.38 SYP 45.97

171.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.61 SYP 74.2

75.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$3.07 SYP 373

33.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$8.07 SYP 981

26.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.01 SYP 123

66.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.77 SYP 215

42.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.63 SYP 76.1

412.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.28 SYP 155

88.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$6.35 SYP 772

-49.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.17 SYP 142

12.82%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$18.6K SYP 2.3M

59.94%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$21.0K SYP 2.6M

12.43%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$101 SYP 12.2K

-18.45%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$8.37 SYP 1,017

174.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$35.08 SYP 4,262

-14.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$12.14 SYP 1,475

328.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$3.09 SYP 375

61.17%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$43.00 SYP 5,225

359.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$1,813 SYP 220.3K

194.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$19.63 SYP 2,386

81.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$25.73 SYP 3,127

56.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$45.53 SYP 5,532

72.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$39.56 SYP 4,807

124.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$101 SYP 12.2K

840.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$50.2 SYP 6,094

1203.87%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tartus: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $101 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 1204% 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 $28.00 in Tartus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $157 – 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 160%, 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 $725 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $483 in Tartus. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $43.00 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 $483, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.