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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $831 in Temara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,269 in Temara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,706 in Temara, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 52% more than Temara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Temara are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Temara 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$4.72 MAD 44.29

148.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$33.41 MAD 314

25.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$6.51 MAD 61.1

61.44%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$2.47 MAD 23.17

45.34%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.68 MAD 6.36

122.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.38 MAD 3.53

142.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$5.53 MAD 51.9

-46.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$4.18 MAD 39.20

5.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$0.87 MAD 8.12

60.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$0.55 MAD 5.15

241.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.77 MAD 16.59

-11.86%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$2.03 MAD 19.03

28.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$12.97 MAD 122

-35.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$6.04 MAD 56.7

38.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$11.41 MAD 107

-4.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$1.58 MAD 14.86

71.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.39 MAD 13.08

8.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$0.83 MAD 7.75

125.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$0.89 MAD 8.30

146.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$0.74 MAD 6.94

151.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$0.76 MAD 7.12

193.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.43 MAD 4.03

148.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.59 MAD 5.56

84.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$4.23 MAD 39.72

-0.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$8.01 MAD 75.1

30.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$2.70 MAD 25.29

-38.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.46 MAD 23.12

6.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.53 MAD 4.93

1.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$16.74 MAD 157

56.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.84 MAD 7.92

266.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.81 MAD 7.64

196.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$4.51 MAD 42.30

-30.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.54 MAD 14.44

-14.94%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$37.5K MAD 352.3K

-20.61%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$29.8K MAD 279.5K

-21.69%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$38.53 MAD 362

110.95%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$10.96 MAD 103

105.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$39.42 MAD 370

-23.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$23.84 MAD 224

121.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$5.33 MAD 50.0

245.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$6.64 MAD 62.3

-25.90%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$138 MAD 1,293

45.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$2,361 MAD 22.2K

119.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$42.13 MAD 395

-14.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$50.3 MAD 471

-20.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$106 MAD 994

-24.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$105 MAD 988

-17.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$406 MAD 3,813

140.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$205 MAD 1,923

129.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$688 MAD 6,455

140.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$332 MAD 3,117

262.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$1,239 MAD 11.6K

219.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$972 MAD 9,121

579.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$244 MAD 2,291

177.08%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Temara: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $406 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 177% 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 $33.00 in Temara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $204 – 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 52%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,247 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $831 in Temara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 56% 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 $831, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.