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 $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,054 in Tepic, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,177 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,681 in Tepic, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,095 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,309 in Tepic, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 19% more than Tepic, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tepic are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Tepic 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$209

$7.78 MX$136

53.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$734

$42.91 MX$751

-2.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$182

$9.36 MX$164

11.32%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.5

$3.15 MX$55.0

11.43%

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

$1.52 MX$26.53

$2.07 MX$36.20

-26.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.93

$1.37 MX$23.99

-33.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$53.2

$2.62 MX$45.75

16.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.5

$3.99 MX$69.8

9.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.86

$1.45 MX$25.41

-2.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$32.03

$2.36 MX$41.22

-22.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.60

$1.08 MX$18.91

50.93%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.43

$2.12 MX$37.02

19.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$150

$4.80 MX$84.0

78.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$149

$13.33 MX$233

-36.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$189

$6.94 MX$121

55.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$48.19

$2.59 MX$45.38

6.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.13

$1.51 MX$26.34

-4.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$33.00

$3.49 MX$61.0

-45.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.96

$1.60 MX$27.92

35.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.13

$1.92 MX$33.63

-7.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.91

$2.06 MX$35.99

7.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.37 MX$24.02

-21.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.89

$1.03 MX$17.93

4.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.5

$4.26 MX$74.5

-2.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$183

$11.24 MX$197

-7.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.50

$0.83 MX$14.50

109.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.16

$1.60 MX$27.91

61.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.98

$0.52 MX$9.03

-1.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$454

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$56.2

$2.09 MX$36.49

53.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.78

$0.51 MX$8.89

390.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.7

$10.76 MX$188

-70.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.98

$1.32 MX$23.10

-4.55%

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

$29.7K MX$519.3K

$18.3K MX$320.2K

62.17%

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

$23.7K MX$414.3K

$19.0K MX$331.5K

24.96%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$42.54 MX$744

92.83%

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

$22.73 MX$398

$11.98 MX$209

89.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$515

$25.32 MX$443

16.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$913

$36.01 MX$630

44.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$323

$15.98 MX$280

15.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.3

$4.33 MX$75.8

13.86%

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

$202 MX$3,530

$207 MX$3,616

-2.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$91.3K

$3,426 MX$59.9K

52.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$629

$42.06 MX$736

-14.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$706

$15.81 MX$276

155.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,397

$65.7 MX$1,149

21.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,562

$73.9 MX$1,292

20.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.6K

$513 MX$8,967

85.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,140

$396 MX$6,922

17.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.5K

$921 MX$16.1K

76.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.9K

$770 MX$13.5K

54.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.8K

$1,710 MX$29.9K

129.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.4K

$1,250 MX$21.9K

414.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

$694 MX$12.1K

-5.16%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Tepic: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $513 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 5% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $43.00 in Tepic. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $254 – 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 Tepic: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 19%, 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 $1,888 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,581 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 $1,259 in Playa del Carmen and $1,054 in Tepic. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $207 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 $1,054, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. 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.