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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $679 in Timbo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,097 in Timbo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,514 in Timbo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 87% more than Timbo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Timbo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Timbo 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$4.42 R$22.36

168.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$32.85 R$166

30.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.61 R$18.28

195.01%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.82 R$9.19

89.56%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.03 R$5.23

45.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.65 R$3.27

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.69 R$8.55

79.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.15 R$10.86

114.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.82 R$4.16

68.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.38 R$7.01

34.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.79 R$3.99

103.80%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.71 R$8.66

51.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$7.27 R$36.81

13.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.10 R$15.70

170.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$6.82 R$34.52

56.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.63 R$8.25

61.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.64 R$3.25

132.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.70 R$3.53

174.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.20 R$6.07

74.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.94 R$4.78

97.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.93 R$4.72

143.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.59 R$3.00

79.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.67 R$3.38

62.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$1.42 R$7.20

192.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$4.92 R$24.90

111.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.95 R$4.82

81.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.77 R$8.98

47.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.88 R$4.44

-38.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$38.74 R$196

-30.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.12 R$5.65

179.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.70 R$3.54

258.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$6.12 R$30.96

-48.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.92 R$4.67

38.04%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$18.3K R$92.6K

66.01%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$24.5K R$124.0K

-3.76%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$52.4 R$265

58.49%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$11.43 R$57.9

98.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$20.50 R$104

43.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$22.73 R$115

124.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$21.74 R$110

-15.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.28 R$26.71

-6.63%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$218 R$1,104

-9.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$2,547 R$12.9K

107.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$28.58 R$145

29.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$35.59 R$180

12.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$53.1 R$269

50.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$44.37 R$225

101.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$316 R$1,599

202.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$214 R$1,086

122.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$578 R$2,924

184.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$430 R$2,177

184.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,565 R$7,925

150.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,131 R$5,726

471.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$684 R$3,464

-2.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.82%

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 Timbo: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $316 in Timbo. 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 Timbo, 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 $33.00 in Timbo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $144 – making Timbo 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 Timbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 87%, 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 $1,018 in Timbo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Timbo, 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 $679 in Timbo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 44% less in Timbo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Timbo, where all-in costs run around $679, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Timbo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Timbo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Timbo. 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.