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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $741 in Tlaxcala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,189 in Tlaxcala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,638 in Tlaxcala, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 70% more than Tlaxcala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tlaxcala are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Tlaxcala 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$5.39 MX$93.4

116.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$20.89 MX$362

100.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$5.75 MX$99.6

80.87%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.83 MX$49.03

27.56%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$1.27 MX$21.94

15.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.93 MX$16.16

-2.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$1.30 MX$22.53

133.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$1.80 MX$31.20

148.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.67 MX$28.88

-17.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$1.94 MX$33.58

-5.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$1.41 MX$24.40

14.18%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$2.15 MX$37.18

19.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$6.87 MX$119

23.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$5.74 MX$99.4

47.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$10.51 MX$182

4.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$2.23 MX$38.64

22.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.16 MX$20.19

29.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$1.67 MX$28.88

17.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.17 MX$20.29

81.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$0.89 MX$15.36

108.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$1.07 MX$18.58

102.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.81 MX$14.07

32.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$1.10 MX$19.08

-4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$4.16 MX$72.0

0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$10.03 MX$174

2.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.37 MX$23.66

21.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$1.54 MX$26.72

61.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.43 MX$7.48

25.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$2.21 MX$38.25

40.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$1.55 MX$26.91

58.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$8.22 MX$142

-60.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.19 MX$20.70

5.88%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$25.4K MX$440.3K

18.74%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$26.1K MX$452.5K

-10.21%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$33.34 MX$578

151.92%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$18.70 MX$324

18.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$33.17 MX$575

-10.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$31.48 MX$545

67.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$21.15 MX$367

-13.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$4.62 MX$80.1

7.14%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$239 MX$4,146

-17.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$3,536 MX$61.3K

50.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$30.19 MX$523

19.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$48.09 MX$833

-16.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$110 MX$1,911

-28.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$88.4 MX$1,531

-2.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$245 MX$4,250

298.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$155 MX$2,691

203.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$483 MX$8,369

230.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$347 MX$6,017

249.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$690 MX$12.0K

3.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.5

8.76%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Tlaxcala: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $245 in Tlaxcala. 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 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 $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $21 in Tlaxcala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $213 – making Tlaxcala 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 Tlaxcala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 70%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,111 in Tlaxcala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tlaxcala, 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $741 in Tlaxcala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $239 in Tlaxcala. 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 Tlaxcala, where all-in costs run around $741, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Tlaxcala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tlaxcala – 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 Tlaxcala. 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.