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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $776 in Tema, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,229 in Tema, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,682 in Tema, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 68% more than Tema, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tema are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Tema 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$7.06 GHS 80.6

69.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$28.37 GHS 324

67.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$5.36 GHS 61.2

-23.13%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.91 GHS 10.43

53.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.29 GHS 3.28

213.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$3.29 GHS 37.60

-2.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.68 GHS 30.61

163.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$3.29 GHS 37.53

-48.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.62 GHS 18.49

32.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$2.08 GHS 23.70

-14.90%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.46 GHS 28.09

14.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$4.32 GHS 49.38

112.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$3.39 GHS 38.74

172.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$3.64 GHS 41.54

247.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.61 GHS 29.77

13.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$2.25 GHS 25.64

-29.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.24 GHS 25.54

-0.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$3.53 GHS 40.36

-33.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$3.60 GHS 41.07

-44.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.96 GHS 33.84

-33.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.46 GHS 5.23

169.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.73 GHS 8.37

65.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$1.34 GHS 15.31

243.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$9.05 GHS 103

16.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.15 GHS 24.60

-21.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.02 GHS 34.51

-8.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$1.82 GHS 20.79

-67.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$43.17 GHS 493

-31.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$2.16 GHS 24.67

142.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.43 GHS 4.91

748.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.17 GHS 13.35

31.62%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$78.6 GHS 897

15.40%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$15.52 GHS 177

62.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$84.3 GHS 963

-62.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$24.78 GHS 283

177.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$8.72 GHS 99.5

-44.27%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$177 GHS 2,022

27.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$2,633 GHS 30.1K

59.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$13.25 GHS 151

257.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$16.17 GHS 185

168.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$44.66 GHS 510

79.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$33.62 GHS 384

171.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$131 GHS 1,493

730.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$74.7 GHS 853

446.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$449 GHS 5,132

338.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$219 GHS 2,496

486.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$10.1K GHS 114.8K

-59.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$5,994 GHS 68.4K

11.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$433 GHS 4,947

78.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-67.29%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Tema: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $131 in Tema. 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 79% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Tema. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $223 – making Tema 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 Tema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 68%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,165 in Tema. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tema, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $776 in Tema. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 45% less in Tema. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tema, where all-in costs run around $776, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Tema it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tema – 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 Tema. 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.