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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $753 in Tlaxcala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,220 in Tlaxcala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,686 in Tlaxcala, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 69% more than Tlaxcala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tlaxcala are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Tlaxcala 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$5.36 MX$93.6

121.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$20.98 MX$366

104.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$5.93 MX$103

79.60%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$2.88 MX$50.2

19.79%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$1.27 MX$22.20

18.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$0.93 MX$16.23

2.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$1.34 MX$23.46

126.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

$1.87 MX$32.56

146.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$1.63 MX$28.50

-15.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.89 MX$32.96

-2.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$1.42 MX$24.74

13.38%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$2.20 MX$38.42

17.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$7.23 MX$126

14.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$5.73 MX$100

46.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$10.71 MX$187

-0.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$2.15 MX$37.51

22.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$1.18 MX$20.62

26.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$1.72 MX$30.04

11.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$1.12 MX$19.59

86.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$0.82 MX$14.34

126.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$1.05 MX$18.32

115.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$0.82 MX$14.23

29.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$1.06 MX$18.53

2.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$4.29 MX$74.8

-3.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$9.78 MX$171

6.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$1.38 MX$24.13

24.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

$1.52 MX$26.45

71.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

$0.41 MX$7.15

31.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$2.30 MX$40.07

36.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$1.61 MX$28.10

55.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$8.47 MX$148

-62.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$1.20 MX$20.88

5.83%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$26.0K MX$453.1K

17.00%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$25.9K MX$451.2K

-8.84%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$33.44 MX$584

148.21%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$18.80 MX$328

20.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$33.89 MX$592

-13.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

$31.19 MX$544

63.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

$21.24 MX$371

-13.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$4.54 MX$79.2

8.59%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$234 MX$4,085

-15.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$3,605 MX$62.9K

46.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$29.85 MX$521

23.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$47.29 MX$825

-15.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$111 MX$1,935

-27.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$87.2 MX$1,522

2.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$249 MX$4,345

284.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

$153 MX$2,662

212.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$492 MX$8,591

234.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

$345 MX$6,022

254.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

$690 MX$12.0K

-3.29%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Tlaxcala: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $249 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Tlaxcala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 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 69%, 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 $1,130 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $753 in Tlaxcala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $234 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 $753, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.