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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $638 in Timika, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,017 in Timika, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,396 in Timika, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 105% more than Timika, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Timika are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Timika 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$1.68 Rp 29.7K

611.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$14.11 Rp 248.3K

235.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$3.41 Rp 60.1K

244.57%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.57 Rp 27.6K

162.42%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.45 Rp 7,943

211.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.25 Rp 4,434

264.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

38.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.36 Rp 59.2K

110.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

48.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

93.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$0.89 Rp 15.6K

98.88%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.49 Rp 26.1K

89.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$7.17 Rp 126.2K

28.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$2.93 Rp 51.5K

215.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$7.86 Rp 138.4K

60.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.28 Rp 40.1K

29.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.33 Rp 23.4K

18.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.77 Rp 31.1K

25.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.24 Rp 21.9K

90.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.32 Rp 23.3K

50.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.95 Rp 34.4K

1.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.73 Rp 12.9K

69.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.43 Rp 7,591

181.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.79 Rp 49.0K

64.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$20.36 Rp 358.5K

-48.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.94 Rp 34.2K

-12.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.95 Rp 51.9K

-6.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.27 Rp 4,727

122.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.49 Rp 8,543

969.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.33 Rp 5,787

1006.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$2.92 Rp 51.5K

97.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.74 Rp 13.1K

108.11%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$23.6K Rp 414.6M

-3.18%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$30.5K Rp 536.9M

-15.35%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$67.6 Rp 1.2M

34.15%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$4.51 Rp 79.5K

458.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$19.59 Rp 344.9K

62.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$20.49 Rp 360.8K

235.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$8.54 Rp 150.3K

243.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$2.88 Rp 50.6K

68.75%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

134.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$7,945 Rp 139.9M

-47.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$44.69 Rp 786.9K

6.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$29.88 Rp 526.1K

45.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$74.3 Rp 1.3M

7.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

27.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$222 Rp 3.9M

388.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$156 Rp 2.7M

161.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$565 Rp 9.9M

249.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$370 Rp 6.5M

246.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,165 Rp 20.5M

247.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$656 Rp 11.5M

922.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

9.46

21.04%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Timika: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $222 in Timika. 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $14.00 in Timika. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $197 – making Timika 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 Timika: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 105%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $956 in Timika. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Timika, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $638 in Timika. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $96.2 in Timika. 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 Timika, where all-in costs run around $638, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Timika it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Timika – 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 Timika. 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.