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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $989 in Tembisa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,565 in Tembisa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,140 in Tembisa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 27% more than Tembisa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tembisa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Tembisa 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$8.66 R 144

35.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$33.77 R 563

24.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$4.93 R 82.2

113.18%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$2.13 R 35.46

68.54%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.99 R 16.43

52.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.82 R 13.64

12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$2.26 R 37.67

30.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$2.49 R 41.45

77.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.12 R 18.58

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.00 R 16.72

88.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.64 R 27.27

-4.88%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$2.45 R 40.84

6.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$7.47 R 125

11.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$4.63 R 77.1

80.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$6.57 R 109

65.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$1.60 R 26.59

69.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.52 R 25.40

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.55 R 25.81

20.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.57 R 26.21

39.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.30 R 21.72

43.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.22 R 20.36

82.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.09 R 18.19

-1.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.98 R 16.37

11.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$2.73 R 45.54

53.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$4.26 R 71.0

144.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.39 R 23.18

19.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$1.66 R 27.73

57.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$1.62 R 26.96

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$1.13 R 18.87

172.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.96 R 16.02

150.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$3.95 R 65.8

-20.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.29 R 21.46

1.55%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$21.5K R 358.8K

38.40%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$23.6K R 392.3K

-0.98%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$118 R 1,965

-31.10%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$35.04 R 584

-35.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$40.95 R 682

-26.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$30.54 R 509

73.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$6.74 R 112

-27.00%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$195 R 3,245

3.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$4,332 R 72.2K

19.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$50.7 R 844

-29.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$32.44 R 540

23.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$88.9 R 1,480

-10.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$78.9 R 1,314

9.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$357 R 5,947

173.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$332 R 5,536

41.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$686 R 11.4K

140.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$680 R 11.3K

76.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$899 R 15.0K

339.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$553 R 9,217

1094.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$552 R 9,189

22.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.51

-0.78%

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 Tembisa: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $357 in Tembisa. 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 23% 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 $34.00 in Tembisa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $175 – making Tembisa 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 Tembisa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 27%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,484 in Tembisa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tembisa, 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 $989 in Tembisa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $195 in Tembisa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tembisa, where all-in costs run around $989, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Tembisa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tembisa – 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 Tembisa. 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.