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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,151 in Toluca, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,873 in Toluca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,594 in Toluca, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 10% more than Toluca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Toluca are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Toluca 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$9.53 MX$165

22.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$42.84 MX$742

-2.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$8.09 MX$140

28.55%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.92 MX$50.6

23.63%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$1.16 MX$20.02

26.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.80 MX$13.93

13.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$2.07 MX$35.82

46.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$3.39 MX$58.8

31.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.37 MX$23.75

0.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$3.42 MX$59.2

-46.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$1.94 MX$33.54

-17.01%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$2.62 MX$45.43

-1.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$5.77 MX$99.9

47.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$9.90 MX$172

-14.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$11.86 MX$205

-7.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$4.24 MX$73.5

-35.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.71 MX$29.60

-12.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$1.95 MX$33.73

0.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$2.17 MX$37.62

-2.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$2.46 MX$42.59

-24.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$2.39 MX$41.35

-9.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$1.89 MX$32.74

-43.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$1.03 MX$17.78

1.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$4.79 MX$83.0

-12.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$13.33 MX$231

-22.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.92 MX$33.30

-13.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$3.38 MX$58.6

-26.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.66 MX$11.39

-18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$3.19 MX$55.3

-2.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$2.23 MX$38.68

10.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$7.97 MX$138

-59.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.25 MX$21.58

0.80%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$27.7K MX$479.3K

9.07%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$28.6K MX$496.1K

-18.11%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$46.78 MX$811

79.54%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$21.78 MX$377

1.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$34.22 MX$593

-13.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$50.3 MX$872

4.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$22.93 MX$397

-20.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$7.00 MX$121

-29.29%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$167 MX$2,893

18.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$5,102 MX$88.4K

4.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$55.9 MX$968

-35.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$60.4 MX$1,047

-33.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$94.0 MX$1,629

-16.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$103 MX$1,787

-16.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$643 MX$11.1K

51.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$386 MX$6,684

22.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$941 MX$16.3K

69.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$764 MX$13.2K

59.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$1,351 MX$23.4K

198.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$957 MX$16.6K

587.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$1,366 MX$23.7K

-47.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.12

2.70%

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 Toluca: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $643 in Toluca. 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 91% higher in Toluca, 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 in Playa del Carmen versus $43 in Toluca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $294 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Toluca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,727 in Toluca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Toluca, 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 $1,151 in Toluca. 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 $167 in Toluca. 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 Toluca, where all-in costs run around $1,151, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Toluca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Toluca – 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 Toluca. 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.