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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,215 in Tepelene, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,839 in Tepelene, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,462 in Tepelene, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 3% more than Tepelene, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tepelene are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Tepelene 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$11.56 ALL 943

3.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$59.3 ALL 4,840

-29.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$9.29 ALL 758

15.72%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.04 ALL 167

71.57%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.84 ALL 150

-21.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.00 ALL 81.3

-12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.86 ALL 234

3.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$4.08 ALL 333

10.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.12 ALL 173

-32.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.08 ALL 88.0

70.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.23 ALL 182

-29.60%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.95 ALL 322

-36.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$13.02 ALL 1,062

-36.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$7.82 ALL 638

7.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$15.56 ALL 1,269

-31.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.76 ALL 144

48.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.77 ALL 226

-48.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.04 ALL 167

-3.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.92 ALL 157

8.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.31 ALL 107

41.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.32 ALL 107

64.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.51 ALL 123

-31.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.78 ALL 63.7

37.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.19 ALL 342

-2.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$10.45 ALL 853

-2.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.59 ALL 130

5.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.14 ALL 175

18.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.45 ALL 37.11

13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$18.91 ALL 1,543

37.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$3.48 ALL 284

-7.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$3.18 ALL 259

-24.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$17.92 ALL 1,462

-81.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$2.05 ALL 167

-35.61%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$39.7K ALL 3.2M

-25.11%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$35.4K ALL 2.9M

-33.22%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$106 ALL 8,681

-22.94%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$18.19 ALL 1,484

26.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$18.67 ALL 1,522

61.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$55.0 ALL 4,482

-5.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$25.34 ALL 2,067

-26.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$9.32 ALL 760

-46.57%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$161 ALL 13.1K

22.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$5,601 ALL 456.8K

-4.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$60.9 ALL 4,964

-41.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$50.9 ALL 4,150

-20.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$106 ALL 8,616

-25.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$127 ALL 10.3K

-29.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$455 ALL 37.1K

108.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$341 ALL 27.8K

38.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$620 ALL 50.6K

165.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$438 ALL 35.7K

176.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,819 ALL 148.4K

122.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,239 ALL 101.0K

422.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$658 ALL 53.7K

-0.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.52

106.88%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tepelene: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $455 in Tepelene. 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 1% higher in Tepelene, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $59.0 in Tepelene. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $280 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Tepelene: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,823 in Tepelene. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tepelene, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,215 in Tepelene. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 38% less in Tepelene. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tepelene, where all-in costs run around $1,215, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Tepelene it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tepelene – 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 Tepelene. 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.