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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $872 in Tesanj, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,322 in Tesanj, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,772 in Tesanj, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 49% more than Tesanj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tesanj are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Tesanj 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.51 BAM 5.89

234.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$16.66 BAM 27.99

149.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.00 BAM 5.04

254.67%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$0.85 BAM 1.43

314.12%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.48 BAM 2.49

2.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.90 BAM 1.50

7.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.09 BAM 3.51

41.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$1.81 BAM 3.05

145.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.85 BAM 1.43

62.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.90 BAM 1.51

110.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.40 BAM 4.03

-31.67%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.78 BAM 4.67

-9.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.76 BAM 16.40

-14.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.30 BAM 12.27

14.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$13.16 BAM 22.10

-18.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.25 BAM 2.09

108.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.69 BAM 2.85

-13.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.92 BAM 3.22

-1.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.66 BAM 2.78

25.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.80 BAM 1.34

122.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.70 BAM 1.18

212.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.93 BAM 1.56

11.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.96 BAM 1.62

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.49 BAM 5.86

16.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$8.49 BAM 14.26

21.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.25 BAM 2.11

36.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.06 BAM 3.46

25.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.85 BAM 3.11

-72.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$35.58 BAM 59.8

-25.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.16 BAM 1.95

181.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.52 BAM 0.88

378.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$10.67 BAM 17.93

-69.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.44 BAM 2.42

-9.03%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$23.4K BAM 39.3K

29.60%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$26.7K BAM 44.9K

-12.30%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$124 BAM 209

-33.29%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$19.29 BAM 32.41

15.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$28.67 BAM 48.17

2.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$29.51 BAM 49.58

74.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$10.80 BAM 18.15

69.63%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$2.94 BAM 4.94

72.45%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$150 BAM 251

34.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,312 BAM 5,565

57.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$71.8 BAM 121

-48.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$35.38 BAM 59.5

12.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$99.9 BAM 168

-21.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$120 BAM 201

-27.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$262 BAM 440

271.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$168 BAM 283

177.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$370 BAM 621

343.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$313 BAM 526

290.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,603 BAM 4,373

51.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,839 BAM 3,090

253.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$715 BAM 1,201

-7.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.14

175.85%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Tesanj: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $262 in Tesanj. 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 8% higher in Tesanj, 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 $17.00 in Tesanj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $222 – making Tesanj 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 Tesanj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 49%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,308 in Tesanj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tesanj, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $872 in Tesanj. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 34% less in Tesanj. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tesanj, where all-in costs run around $872, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Tesanj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tesanj – 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 Tesanj. 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.