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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $616 in Taza, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $981 in Taza, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,345 in Taza, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 104% more than Taza, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Taza are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Taza 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.82 MAD 35.78

213.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$18.84 MAD 176

121.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$6.23 MAD 58.3

72.55%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.62 MAD 15.15

116.05%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.57 MAD 5.37

154.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.37 MAD 3.48

137.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$5.59 MAD 52.3

-47.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$4.13 MAD 38.65

9.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.87 MAD 8.10

64.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.47 MAD 4.41

291.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.89 MAD 17.64

-16.93%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.94 MAD 18.12

29.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$13.26 MAD 124

-37.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.20 MAD 58.0

35.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$12.01 MAD 112

-11.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$0.76 MAD 7.07

243.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.43 MAD 13.39

0.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.83 MAD 7.79

136.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.57 MAD 5.34

266.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.42 MAD 3.94

340.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.43 MAD 4.01

404.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.36 MAD 3.38

186.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.62 MAD 5.81

72.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.41 MAD 41.27

-7.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$8.00 MAD 74.8

27.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.43 MAD 22.76

-30.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.47 MAD 23.10

2.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.39 MAD 3.66

30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$14.02 MAD 131

85.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.56 MAD 5.28

476.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.72 MAD 6.72

234.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.69 MAD 25.16

20.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.48 MAD 13.83

-10.81%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$37.3K MAD 348.6K

-20.30%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$29.7K MAD 277.5K

-20.20%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$34.73 MAD 325

136.14%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$10.91 MAD 102

110.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$40.89 MAD 383

-26.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$16.35 MAD 153

217.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$22.81 MAD 213

-18.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.50 MAD 42.15

10.67%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$82.0 MAD 768

140.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$6,523 MAD 61.0K

-18.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$21.56 MAD 202

65.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$25.11 MAD 235

60.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$105 MAD 984

-25.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$74.0 MAD 692

20.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$111 MAD 1,043

749.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$64.6 MAD 604

633.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$219 MAD 2,044

652.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$174 MAD 1,630

594.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,247 MAD 11.7K

225.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$895 MAD 8,370

623.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$534 MAD 4,993

22.55%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Taza: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $111 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 23% 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 $198 – 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 104%, 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 $924 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $616 in Taza. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 86% 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 $616, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.