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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $624 in Tema, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $995 in Tema, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,365 in Tema, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 101% more than Tema, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tema are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Tema 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$7.19 GHS 82.9

66.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$27.76 GHS 320

50.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.82 GHS 90.2

37.47%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.46 GHS 16.82

139.73%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.04 GHS 12.04

39.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.31 GHS 3.56

183.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.74 GHS 20.02

69.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.67 GHS 30.78

68.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$3.05 GHS 35.22

-53.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.62 GHS 18.65

13.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.56 GHS 18.05

0.64%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.19 GHS 25.22

14.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$3.66 GHS 42.26

126.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$2.64 GHS 30.43

219.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$2.41 GHS 27.80

343.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.83 GHS 32.65

-7.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.02 GHS 23.36

-28.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.09 GHS 24.11

-6.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.86 GHS 32.95

-26.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.82 GHS 20.97

1.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.99 GHS 22.91

9.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.64 GHS 7.38

60.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.88 GHS 10.12

21.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$7.04 GHS 81.3

44.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.88 GHS 10.10

90.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$2.10 GHS 24.26

-75.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$40.03 GHS 462

-34.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.36 GHS 15.75

137.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.76 GHS 8.75

217.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.20 GHS 13.80

10.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$31.32 GHS 361

161.85%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$12.42 GHS 143

84.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$64.6 GHS 745

-53.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$19.29 GHS 223

169.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

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

$197 MX$3,438

$83.0 GHS 957

137.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$24.46 GHS 282

45.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$24.21 GHS 279

66.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$45.56 GHS 526

72.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$61.8 GHS 713

43.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$118 GHS 1,363

701.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$65.8 GHS 760

620.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$136 GHS 1,573

788.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$9,960 GHS 114.9K

-59.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$6,047 GHS 69.8K

6.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$414 GHS 4,773

58.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

32.5

-64.86%

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 Tema: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $118 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 58% 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 $28.00 in Tema. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $183 – 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 101%, 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 $937 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $624 in Tema. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 54% 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 $624, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.