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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $614 in Taza, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $979 in Taza, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,344 in Taza, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 111% more than Taza, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Taza are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Taza 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.80 MAD 34.93

208.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$19.12 MAD 176

117.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.34 MAD 58.3

67.82%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.59 MAD 14.63

121.38%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.62 MAD 5.67

143.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.38 MAD 3.49

155.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$5.47 MAD 50.3

-46.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.19 MAD 38.47

6.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.87 MAD 8.04

58.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.47 MAD 4.34

302.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.90 MAD 17.42

-13.68%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.02 MAD 18.55

24.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$12.87 MAD 118

-35.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.12 MAD 56.3

36.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$12.00 MAD 110

-10.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$0.81 MAD 7.40

220.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.43 MAD 13.16

2.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.82 MAD 7.57

131.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.54 MAD 4.92

285.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.45 MAD 4.14

295.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.45 MAD 4.16

386.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.37 MAD 3.37

181.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.62 MAD 5.74

74.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.24 MAD 38.93

-3.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$8.06 MAD 74.1

28.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.42 MAD 22.27

-29.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.49 MAD 22.85

3.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.37 MAD 3.38

37.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$14.15 MAD 130

87.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.54 MAD 4.92

503.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.73 MAD 6.70

241.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$2.79 MAD 25.67

16.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.54 MAD 14.14

-14.94%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$36.7K MAD 337.4K

-17.52%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$29.6K MAD 272.1K

-20.88%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$34.07 MAD 313

143.23%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$11.17 MAD 103

98.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$40.07 MAD 368

-26.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$16.63 MAD 153

210.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$22.76 MAD 209

-19.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.29 MAD 39.39

18.18%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$81.3 MAD 747

146.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$6,584 MAD 60.5K

-20.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$21.88 MAD 201

68.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$25.67 MAD 236

55.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$109 MAD 999

-27.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$72.7 MAD 668

19.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$110 MAD 1,015

780.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$65.4 MAD 601

615.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$221 MAD 2,032

642.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$174 MAD 1,601

600.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,566 MAD 14.4K

151.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$953 MAD 8,755

582.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$524 MAD 4,811

26.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.81

137.42%

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 Taza: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $110 in Taza. 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 27% 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 $19.00 in Taza. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $197 – making Taza 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 Taza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 111%, 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 $921 in Taza. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taza, 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 $614 in Taza. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 87% less in Taza. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taza, where all-in costs run around $614, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Taza it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taza – 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 Taza. 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.