Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Thung Song Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Thung Song

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $912 in Thung Song, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,499 in Thung Song, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,086 in Thung Song, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 38% more than Thung Song, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Thung Song are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Thung Song 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$4.74 ฿158

147.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$18.18 ฿606

130.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.71 ฿291

20.67%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.33 ฿77.7

54.08%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.70 ฿23.21

115.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.32 ฿10.84

187.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.41 ฿80.3

22.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.69 ฿123

19.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.23 ฿74.3

-37.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.81 ฿60.5

3.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$2.23 ฿74.3

-30.04%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.24 ฿74.8

16.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$19.77 ฿659

-57.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$3.68 ฿123

126.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$13.40 ฿447

-18.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.26 ฿109

-16.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.62 ฿53.9

-6.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.67 ฿22.30

179.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$2.07 ฿69.0

5.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.60 ฿53.2

16.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.44 ฿48.16

54.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.98 ฿32.54

9.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.48 ฿16.07

127.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$4.41 ฿147

-4.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$18.72 ฿624

-44.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.78 ฿59.5

-6.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.34 ฿78.1

11.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.88 ฿29.45

-38.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$2.28 ฿75.9

35.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.01 ฿33.68

137.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$13.96 ฿466

-77.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.17 ฿39.03

11.97%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$27.9K ฿930.7K

6.84%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-29.02%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$30.77 ฿1,027

164.15%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$6.11 ฿204

269.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$13.91 ฿464

116.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$50.2 ฿1,675

5.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$11.96 ฿399

53.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$8.67 ฿289

-43.25%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$686 ฿22.9K

-70.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$16.1K ฿536.0K

-67.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$28.25 ฿942

27.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$18.27 ฿610

119.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$113 ฿3,754

-29.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$83.6 ฿2,788

3.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$431 ฿14.4K

126.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$289 ฿9,653

62.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$811 ฿27.1K

103.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$649 ฿21.7K

85.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,071 ฿69.1K

90.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,527 ฿51.0K

332.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

128.40%

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 Thung Song: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $431 in Thung Song. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $18.00 in Thung Song. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $284 in Thung Song – 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 Thung Song: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 38%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,368 in Thung Song. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Thung Song, 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 $912 in Thung Song. 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 $686 in Thung Song. 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 Thung Song, where all-in costs run around $912, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Thung Song it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Thung Song – 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 Thung Song. 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.