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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $776 in Tatuรญ, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,245 in Tatuรญ, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,714 in Tatuรญ, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 64% more than Tatuรญ, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tatuรญ are more affordable than the global median โ€“ Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Tatuรญ 42% lower.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Tatuรญ
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87 MX$204
$5.50 R$27.85
115.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90 MX$736
$27.55 R$139
55.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.65 MX$183
$6.48 R$32.82
64.35%
Cappuccino
$3.45 MX$59.2
$1.74 R$8.81
98.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 MX$25.81
$1.11 R$5.63
35.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95 MX$16.28
$0.66 R$3.33
43.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$51.9
$1.76 R$8.93
72.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 MX$79.1
$2.75 R$13.94
67.64%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Tatuรญ
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.61
$0.93 R$4.73
48.39%
White Bread (500g)
$1.85 MX$31.70
$1.49 R$7.55
24.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.65
$1.14 R$5.76
41.23%
Eggs
$2.59 MX$44.51
$1.96 R$9.92
32.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.26 MX$142
$8.11 R$41.08
1.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.37 MX$144
$3.54 R$17.94
136.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.66 MX$183
$7.16 R$36.26
48.88%
Apples (1kg)
$2.63 MX$45.12
$2.07 R$10.50
27.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 MX$25.53
$1.25 R$6.32
19.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.92 MX$32.94
$1.19 R$6.02
61.34%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$35.81
$1.51 R$7.62
38.41%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$31.88
$1.20 R$6.05
55.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.81
$1.11 R$5.60
103.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 MX$18.23
$0.75 R$3.78
41.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$18.67
$0.67 R$3.40
62.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15 MX$71.2
$2.16 R$10.93
92.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.39 MX$178
$7.49 R$37.91
38.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 MX$29.59
$1.22 R$6.17
40.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 MX$44.85
$1.99 R$10.08
31.16%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Tatuรญ
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.30
$0.94 R$4.78
-42.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.94 MX$462
$37.19 R$188
-27.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 MX$53.7
$1.40 R$7.08
123.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.51 MX$43.09
$0.76 R$3.82
230.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.15 MX$54.1
$6.31 R$31.93
-50.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$21.88
$0.93 R$4.69
36.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4K MX$521.3K
$28.7K R$145.2K
5.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6K MX$404.5K
$27.9K R$141.0K
-15.40%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Tatuรญ
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.0 MX$1,425
$61.3 R$310
35.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71 MX$390
$13.30 R$67.3
70.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46 MX$506
$18.99 R$96.1
55.13%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Tatuรญ
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 MX$875
$22.50 R$114
126.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33 MX$315
$22.00 R$111
-16.68%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93 MX$84.5
$6.18 R$31.29
-20.23%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Tatuรญ
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,386
$268 R$1,358
-26.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,280 MX$90.6K
$6,387 R$32.3K
-17.34%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Tatuรญ
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90 MX$633
$48.53 R$246
-23.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89 MX$685
$41.40 R$210
-3.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.0 MX$1,373
$75.3 R$381
6.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5 MX$1,536
$64.5 R$326
38.76%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Tatuรญ
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$956 MX$16.4K
$319 R$1,616
199.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$477 MX$8,189
$219 R$1,106
118.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,646 MX$28.3K
$594 R$3,007
177.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,225 MX$21.0K
$434 R$2,195
182.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,918 MX$67.2K
$1,524 R$7,715
157.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,459 MX$110.9K
$1,141 R$5,774
466.32%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Tatuรญ
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$667 MX$11.4K
$417 R$2,113
59.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
10.92
4.58%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Tatuรญ: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $319 in Tatuรญ. 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 60% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Tatuรญ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $172 โ€“ making Tatuรญ 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 Tatuรญ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tatuรญ cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes โ€“ Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 64%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,165 in Tatuรญ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ€“ not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tatuรญ, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Tatuรญ?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $776 in Tatuรญ. The difference isn't just one category โ€“ it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 38% less in Tatuรญ. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Tatuรญ?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tatuรญ, where all-in costs run around $776, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Tatuรญ it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Tatuรญ more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Tatuรญ โ€“ lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Tatuรญ. 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.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities