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 $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $737 in Tlaxcala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,177 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,193 in Tlaxcala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,095 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,650 in Tlaxcala, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 71% 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

$11.95 MX$208

$5.34 MX$93.1

123.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$731

$20.78 MX$362

101.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$182

$5.95 MX$104

75.13%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.3

$2.87 MX$50.1

22.30%

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

$1.52 MX$26.44

$1.27 MX$22.12

19.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.88

$0.94 MX$16.43

-3.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$53.0

$1.36 MX$23.66

123.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.2

$1.88 MX$32.85

132.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.78

$1.64 MX$28.52

-13.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.93

$1.97 MX$34.31

-7.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.51

$1.35 MX$23.62

20.74%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.29

$2.23 MX$38.96

13.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$149

$6.87 MX$120

24.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$6.02 MX$105

41.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$188

$10.52 MX$183

2.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$48.04

$2.16 MX$37.61

27.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.05

$1.16 MX$20.28

24.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.90

$1.65 MX$28.73

14.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.84

$1.13 MX$19.69

92.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.03

$0.83 MX$14.52

114.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.79

$1.08 MX$18.81

105.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.64

$0.78 MX$13.57

37.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.83

$1.07 MX$18.58

0.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.3

$4.28 MX$74.6

-3.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$182

$9.67 MX$169

8.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.40

$1.42 MX$24.70

22.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.01

$1.47 MX$25.55

75.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.95

$0.40 MX$7.04

27.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$56.0

$2.19 MX$38.16

46.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.64

$1.55 MX$27.08

61.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.6

$8.11 MX$141

-60.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.91

$1.23 MX$21.42

2.44%

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

$29.7K MX$517.7K

$26.1K MX$455.7K

13.61%

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

$23.7K MX$413.0K

$25.6K MX$447.2K

-7.66%

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

$82.0 MX$1,430

$32.82 MX$572

149.94%

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

$22.73 MX$396

$18.46 MX$322

23.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$513

$34.19 MX$596

-13.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$910

$31.67 MX$552

64.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$322

$20.97 MX$366

-12.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$4.58 MX$79.8

7.64%

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

$202 MX$3,519

$241 MX$4,207

-16.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$91.0K

$3,597 MX$62.7K

45.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$627

$29.43 MX$513

22.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$703

$48.55 MX$847

-16.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,393

$113 MX$1,964

-29.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,557

$88.3 MX$1,539

1.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.5K

$243 MX$4,230

291.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,114

$154 MX$2,677

203.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

$485 MX$8,453

236.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

$342 MX$5,959

249.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

$676 MX$11.8K

-2.66%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Tlaxcala: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $243 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 Tlaxcala, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 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 71%, 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 $1,888 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,105 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 $1,259 in Playa del Carmen and $737 in Tlaxcala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $241 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 $737, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. 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.