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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $818 in Temara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,274 in Temara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,730 in Temara, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 55% 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 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$4.57 MAD 42.25

159.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$32.33 MAD 299

32.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$6.56 MAD 60.7

62.35%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.51 MAD 23.19

37.45%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.64 MAD 5.92

134.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.37 MAD 3.43

156.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$5.37 MAD 49.65

-43.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$4.02 MAD 37.15

14.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.86 MAD 7.98

60.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.54 MAD 5.04

242.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.75 MAD 16.19

-8.00%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.09 MAD 19.34

23.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$12.81 MAD 119

-35.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.02 MAD 55.7

39.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$11.04 MAD 102

-3.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.51 MAD 13.97

74.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.38 MAD 12.74

7.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.82 MAD 7.62

134.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.89 MAD 8.23

134.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.74 MAD 6.89

151.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.74 MAD 6.82

205.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.39 MAD 3.61

171.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.64 MAD 5.91

70.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$4.28 MAD 39.55

-3.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$7.98 MAD 73.8

30.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.74 MAD 25.34

-37.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.47 MAD 22.83

5.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.57 MAD 5.29

-5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$16.68 MAD 154

61.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.91 MAD 8.39

243.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.78 MAD 7.24

221.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$4.28 MAD 39.59

-26.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.51 MAD 14.01

-15.89%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$36.7K MAD 339.4K

-17.21%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$30.0K MAD 277.4K

-21.41%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$38.51 MAD 356

115.53%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$10.68 MAD 98.8

112.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$39.36 MAD 364

-25.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$23.62 MAD 219

115.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$5.51 MAD 51.0

232.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.48 MAD 59.9

-23.92%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$134 MAD 1,242

47.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$2,339 MAD 21.6K

125.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$43.41 MAD 402

-15.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$49.40 MAD 457

-19.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$107 MAD 991

-25.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$103 MAD 954

-13.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$404 MAD 3,740

136.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$211 MAD 1,956

125.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$685 MAD 6,336

140.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$335 MAD 3,098

265.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,238 MAD 11.5K

216.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$917 MAD 8,487

604.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$243 MAD 2,250

174.20%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Temara: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $404 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 174% 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 $32.00 in Temara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 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 55%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,227 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $818 in Temara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 62% 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 $818, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.