Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Tlajomulco de Zúñiga Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Tlajomulco de Zúñiga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,223 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,983 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,743 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 6% more than Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tlajomulco de Zúñiga are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Tlajomulco de Zúñiga 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$14.48 MX$244

-19.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$786

$50.7 MX$855

-8.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$9.94 MX$168

17.20%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$3.49 MX$58.8

17.19%

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

$1.37 MX$23.20

$1.81 MX$30.57

-24.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.07

$1.27 MX$21.41

-34.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

$2.32 MX$39.11

44.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$5.33 MX$90.0

29.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.15

$1.73 MX$29.22

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.15

$2.73 MX$46.08

-17.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.86

$1.64 MX$27.65

7.93%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.12

$2.67 MX$44.98

2.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$10.36 MX$175

-11.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$8.77 MX$148

1.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$11.04 MX$186

14.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$2.62 MX$44.17

15.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.51

$1.67 MX$28.22

-5.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.88

$1.49 MX$25.06

42.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.22

$1.46 MX$24.59

54.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.82

$1.72 MX$29.02

16.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.85

$1.20 MX$20.20

71.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.91

$1.53 MX$25.90

-22.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.32

$1.13 MX$19.11

6.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.2

$4.83 MX$81.6

-4.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

$10.38 MX$175

2.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.33

$1.71 MX$28.88

-5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.63

$3.56 MX$60.1

-19.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

$0.73 MX$12.37

-21.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$91.9

$2.38 MX$40.19

128.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.5

$1.46 MX$24.64

153.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$12.78 MX$216

-53.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.22

$1.46 MX$24.59

6.16%

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

$22.3K MX$376.8K

$23.1K MX$389.3K

-3.21%

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

$25.9K MX$438.0K

$25.6K MX$432.8K

1.20%

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

$89.1 MX$1,504

$52.8 MX$892

68.68%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$23.93 MX$404

4.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$23.48 MX$396

34.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,144

$36.84 MX$622

83.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

$24.27 MX$410

19.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.2

$3.47 MX$58.6

45.53%

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

$225 MX$3,797

$277 MX$4,681

-18.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

$11.4K MX$192.7K

-63.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

$62.4 MX$1,053

-23.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

$44.29 MX$747

1.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

$115 MX$1,944

-28.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

$88.9 MX$1,500

3.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.0K

$660 MX$11.1K

61.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,842

$424 MX$7,150

-4.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,111 MX$18.8K

74.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$823 MX$13.9K

58.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.4K

$2,228 MX$37.6K

79.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.8K

$1,161 MX$19.6K

470.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

$673 MX$11.4K

11.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.32

115.23%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Tlajomulco de Zúñiga: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $660 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga. 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 11% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $51.0 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $270 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga – so Tlajomulco de Zúñiga 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 Tlajomulco de Zúñiga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,835 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $1,223 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $225 per month in Playa del Carmen and $277 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga. 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 Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, where all-in costs run around $1,223, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Tlajomulco de Zúñiga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tlajomulco de Zúñiga – 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 Tlajomulco de Zúñiga. 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.