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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,193 in Tobago, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,838 in Tobago, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,484 in Tobago, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 8% more than Tobago, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tobago are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Tobago 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$10.17 TTD 67.7

15.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$42.46 TTD 283

9.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$9.58 TTD 63.7

21.61%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$3.67 TTD 24.45

11.44%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.63 TTD 10.88

-15.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$1.63 TTD 10.88

-49.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$3.77 TTD 25.12

-11.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$4.39 TTD 29.19

57.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$2.50 TTD 16.66

-30.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$2.49 TTD 16.55

-9.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$2.30 TTD 15.29

-23.04%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$4.85 TTD 32.30

-43.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$6.20 TTD 41.26

48.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$7.21 TTD 47.95

23.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$5.91 TTD 39.34

113.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$4.01 TTD 26.66

-24.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$2.46 TTD 16.36

-36.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$2.25 TTD 14.99

-5.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$2.26 TTD 15.03

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$0.99 TTD 6.56

102.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$1.65 TTD 11.00

24.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.81 TTD 12.05

-34.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$1.49 TTD 9.89

-19.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$4.45 TTD 29.63

4.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$21.66 TTD 144

-50.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$3.77 TTD 25.06

-57.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$4.40 TTD 29.31

-34.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.76 TTD 5.03

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$0.77 TTD 5.14

607.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$9.07 TTD 60.4

-34.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.04 TTD 6.91

49.04%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$59.9 TTD 399

48.70%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$26.98 TTD 180

-7.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$74.0 TTD 493

-57.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$51.2 TTD 341

32.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$7.89 TTD 52.5

-35.99%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$74.5 TTD 495

202.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$43.59 TTD 290

8.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$48.02 TTD 320

-6.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$137 TTD 913

-40.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$89.9 TTD 599

2.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$399 TTD 2,656

167.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$329 TTD 2,191

23.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$550 TTD 3,662

251.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$509 TTD 3,390

155.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$746 TTD 4,963

0.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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 Tobago: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $399 in Tobago. 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 0% 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 $42.00 in Tobago. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $308 in Tobago – so Playa del Carmen 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 Tobago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 8%, 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 $1,789 in Tobago. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tobago, 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 $1,193 in Tobago. 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 $74.5 in Tobago. 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 Tobago, where all-in costs run around $1,193, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Tobago it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tobago – 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 Tobago. 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.