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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $815 in Temara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,278 in Temara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,741 in Temara, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 58% more than Temara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Temara are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Temara 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$4.63 MAD 42.85

157.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$32.94 MAD 305

29.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$6.82 MAD 63.1

55.28%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.59 MAD 23.94

39.77%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.64 MAD 5.96

129.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.41 MAD 3.78

129.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$5.44 MAD 50.3

-43.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$4.07 MAD 37.64

9.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.88 MAD 8.12

62.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.55 MAD 5.06

241.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.85 MAD 17.11

-11.89%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.00 MAD 18.47

32.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$12.56 MAD 116

-34.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.10 MAD 56.4

35.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$11.07 MAD 102

0.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.50 MAD 13.87

76.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.38 MAD 12.77

8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.81 MAD 7.54

145.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.83 MAD 7.70

150.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.79 MAD 7.28

126.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.76 MAD 7.01

186.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.43 MAD 3.98

151.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.62 MAD 5.76

67.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$4.20 MAD 38.89

-5.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.95 MAD 73.6

28.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.74 MAD 25.30

-36.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.45 MAD 22.70

2.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.53 MAD 4.86

-1.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$16.92 MAD 157

59.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.91 MAD 8.44

245.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.78 MAD 7.17

207.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$4.48 MAD 41.42

-31.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.54 MAD 14.22

-17.53%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$37.2K MAD 344.0K

-16.96%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$29.6K MAD 273.8K

-21.24%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$38.69 MAD 358

111.97%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$11.09 MAD 103

102.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$40.94 MAD 379

-27.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$24.10 MAD 223

115.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$5.59 MAD 51.7

233.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.73 MAD 62.2

-26.15%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$136 MAD 1,256

45.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$2,357 MAD 21.8K

123.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$42.55 MAD 394

-14.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$49.64 MAD 459

-19.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$108 MAD 1,000

-26.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$105 MAD 970

-15.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$399 MAD 3,694

141.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$212 MAD 1,959

119.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$668 MAD 6,182

138.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$335 MAD 3,096

261.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,261 MAD 11.7K

212.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$915 MAD 8,463

604.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$343 MAD 3,176

109.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.75

140.42%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Temara: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $399 in Temara. 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 110% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $33.00 in Temara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $202 – making Temara 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 Temara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 58%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,222 in Temara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Temara, 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $815 in Temara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 59% less in Temara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Temara, where all-in costs run around $815, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Temara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Temara – 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 Temara. 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.