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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $611 in Tema, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $989 in Tema, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,367 in Tema, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 112% more than Tema, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.50 GHS 88.0

56.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$27.73 GHS 326

50.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.18 GHS 96.0

30.07%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.46 GHS 17.14

141.10%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.00 GHS 11.78

51.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.33 GHS 3.93

193.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.74 GHS 20.38

69.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.69 GHS 31.63

65.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.98 GHS 34.94

-53.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.68 GHS 19.69

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.55 GHS 18.22

5.81%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.18 GHS 25.64

15.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.72 GHS 43.73

124.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$2.73 GHS 32.08

205.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$2.44 GHS 28.63

339.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.71 GHS 31.76

-4.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.08 GHS 24.38

-29.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.07 GHS 24.27

-8.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.89 GHS 33.97

-28.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.84 GHS 21.60

-3.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.97 GHS 23.15

11.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.61 GHS 7.16

70.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.82 GHS 9.63

31.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$7.21 GHS 84.7

43.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$0.82 GHS 9.66

108.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$2.03 GHS 23.87

-74.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$39.80 GHS 467

-33.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.42 GHS 16.64

129.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.77 GHS 9.00

223.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.19 GHS 13.98

10.08%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$30.84 GHS 362

168.71%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$12.26 GHS 144

81.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$64.6 GHS 759

-54.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$19.37 GHS 227

166.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$201 MX$3,473

$82.4 GHS 967

143.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$25.07 GHS 294

47.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$24.67 GHS 290

61.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$45.82 GHS 538

71.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$60.6 GHS 712

43.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$117 GHS 1,371

732.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$66.6 GHS 782

601.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$139 GHS 1,629

779.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$10.0K GHS 117.6K

-60.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$6,030 GHS 70.8K

7.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$390 GHS 4,576

70.32%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Tema: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $117 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 70% 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 112%, 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 $916 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $611 in Tema. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 50% 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 $611, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.