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 $1,215 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $561 in Taza, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,144 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $910 in Taza, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,072 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,258 in Taza, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 117% more than Taza, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Taza are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 9% lower, Taza 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.97 MX$198

$3.73 MAD 37.28

194.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.85 MX$811

$18.00 MAD 180

149.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 MX$216

$6.13 MAD 61.2

94.45%

Cappuccino

$3.80 MX$68.8

$1.58 MAD 15.75

140.51%

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

$1.31 MX$23.71

$0.55 MAD 5.50

138.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 MX$15.48

$0.37 MAD 3.66

132.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$58.0

$5.33 MAD 53.3

-39.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 MX$90.6

$3.17 MAD 31.68

58.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$26.36

$0.86 MAD 8.57

69.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 MX$42.06

$0.51 MAD 5.06

356.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MX$26.07

$1.90 MAD 18.96

-24.21%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$44.50

$1.90 MAD 18.93

29.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 MX$139

$11.27 MAD 113

-31.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.89 MX$143

$6.04 MAD 60.3

30.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 MX$231

$12.03 MAD 120

6.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MX$52.7

$0.69 MAD 6.94

323.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MX$25.70

$1.39 MAD 13.86

2.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MX$46.37

$0.74 MAD 7.43

247.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$38.63

$0.54 MAD 5.38

296.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 MX$35.19

$0.41 MAD 4.07

375.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 MX$35.00

$0.44 MAD 4.34

340.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$20.80

$0.37 MAD 3.72

210.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MX$22.07

$0.58 MAD 5.83

110.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MX$79.1

$4.13 MAD 41.24

6.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 MX$178

$7.65 MAD 76.4

28.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$27.79

$2.40 MAD 24.01

-35.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 MX$49.08

$2.65 MAD 26.42

2.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.49

$0.38 MAD 3.76

36.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.42 MX$496

$13.73 MAD 137

99.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 MX$88.8

$0.70 MAD 6.96

601.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.52 MX$63.7

$0.64 MAD 6.40

450.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 MX$103

$2.55 MAD 25.43

123.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$27.84

$1.38 MAD 13.83

11.59%

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

$21.2K MX$383.9K

$33.5K MAD 334.9K

-36.68%

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

$24.5K MX$442.6K

$31.6K MAD 315.7K

-22.54%

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

$83.6 MX$1,511

$33.11 MAD 331

152.52%

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

$24.03 MX$434

$9.55 MAD 95.3

151.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 MX$530

$33.95 MAD 339

-13.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 MX$1,172

$15.52 MAD 155

317.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.46 MX$532

$21.18 MAD 212

39.09%

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 MX$91.9

$4.20 MAD 41.95

21.19%

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

$208 MX$3,754

$77.2 MAD 771

168.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$73.1K

$9,638 MAD 96.2K

-58.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.55 MX$805

$20.62 MAD 206

116.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 MX$760

$24.61 MAD 246

70.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MX$1,365

$95.7 MAD 955

-21.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,652

$65.7 MAD 656

39.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 MX$17.8K

$102 MAD 1,016

869.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 MX$6,962

$62.7 MAD 626

514.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 MX$31.0K

$207 MAD 2,069

726.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 MX$20.0K

$161 MAD 1,606

589.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,016 MX$72.6K

$1,182 MAD 11.8K

239.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,247 MX$112.9K

$840 MAD 8,386

643.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.7K

$503 MAD 5,018

50.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.52

153.32%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Last update for Taza: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Playa del Carmen versus $102 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 51% 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 $45.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $18.00 in Taza. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $190 – 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 117%, 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 $1,823 per month in Playa del Carmen and $841 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 $1,215 in Playa del Carmen and $561 in Taza. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 100% 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 $561, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,215. 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.