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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,015 in Tepic, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,651 in Tepic, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,288 in Tepic, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 25% more than Tepic, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tepic are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Tepic 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$7.99 MX$139

48.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$42.04 MX$734

2.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$9.03 MX$158

17.94%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$3.21 MX$56.0

7.48%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$2.03 MX$35.47

-26.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$1.38 MX$24.07

-31.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$2.60 MX$45.39

16.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

$3.94 MX$68.7

17.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$1.49 MX$26.05

-7.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.34 MX$40.76

-20.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$1.03 MX$17.96

56.31%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$2.03 MX$35.44

27.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$4.73 MX$82.6

74.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$13.18 MX$230

-36.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$6.76 MX$118

57.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$2.61 MX$45.57

0.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$1.51 MX$26.27

-1.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$3.40 MX$59.3

-43.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$1.59 MX$27.68

31.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$1.82 MX$31.80

2.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$1.99 MX$34.71

13.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$1.45 MX$25.33

-26.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$1.01 MX$17.71

7.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$4.27 MX$74.6

-2.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$11.03 MX$192

-5.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$0.77 MX$13.43

123.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

$1.60 MX$28.00

63.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

$0.51 MX$8.84

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$2.18 MX$38.06

43.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$0.50 MX$8.80

402.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$10.76 MX$188

-70.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$1.26 MX$22.01

0.79%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$18.5K MX$322.7K

64.29%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$18.4K MX$321.7K

27.84%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$41.95 MX$732

97.85%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$11.76 MX$205

93.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$25.28 MX$441

16.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

$36.42 MX$636

40.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

$15.66 MX$273

17.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$4.27 MX$74.5

15.46%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$210 MX$3,662

-5.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$3,485 MX$60.8K

51.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$42.51 MX$742

-13.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$16.14 MX$282

147.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$66.3 MX$1,157

20.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$75.0 MX$1,309

19.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$507 MX$8,847

88.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

$403 MX$7,026

18.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$937 MX$16.4K

75.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

$770 MX$13.4K

59.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

$2,109 MX$36.8K

85.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

$1,268 MX$22.1K

409.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

$689 MX$12.0K

-3.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.75

-2.81%

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 Tepic: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $507 in Tepic. 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 3% higher in Tepic, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $42.00 in Tepic. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $251 in Tepic – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Tepic: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 25%, 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 $1,523 in Tepic. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tepic, 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 $1,015 in Tepic. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $210 in Tepic. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tepic, where all-in costs run around $1,015, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Tepic it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tepic – 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 Tepic. 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.