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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $316 in Tongi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $523 in Tongi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $731 in Tongi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 298% more than Tongi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tongi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Tongi 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$1.69 ৳209

593.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$9.92 ৳1,226

322.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$4.83 ৳597

117.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.02 ৳497

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 ৳574

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.48 ৳183

142.57%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.34 ৳42.47

344.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.17 ৳20.92

441.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.65 ৳79.9

115.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.55 ৳68.3

241.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.62 ৳76.2

151.61%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.20 ৳149

117.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$6.77 ৳837

22.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$2.53 ৳312

230.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$5.47 ৳676

98.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.15 ৳265

26.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.99 ৳123

52.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.00 ৳247

-6.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.61 ৳75.9

259.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.26 ৳32.01

615.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.38 ৳46.40

486.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.35 ৳43.66

205.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.26 ৳31.86

319.23%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.07 ৳998

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 ৳276

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 ৳611

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.93 ৳362

43.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.22 ৳27.20

145.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$10.11 ৳1,250

158.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.84 ৳104

266.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.42 ৳52.4

471.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.09 ৳258

49.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.99 ৳123

32.32%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$28.4K ৳3.5M

5.08%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$27.6K ৳3.4M

-15.64%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$29.90 ৳3,695

171.84%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$4.81 ৳594

369.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$9.13 ৳1,128

229.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$13.47 ৳1,665

292.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$11.98 ৳1,480

53.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$4.22 ৳522

16.59%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$26.81 ৳3,313

649.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$943 ৳116.5K

448.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$16.17 ৳1,999

122.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$17.56 ৳2,170

128.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$32.95 ৳4,072

141.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$36.37 ৳4,494

137.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$70.9 ৳8,755

1280.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$42.42 ৳5,243

1009.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$164 ৳20.2K

909.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$98.5 ৳12.2K

1121.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$642 ৳79.3K

515.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.29

10.98%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Tongi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $70.9 in Tongi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $10.00 in Tongi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $102 – making Tongi 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 Tongi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 298%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $474 in Tongi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tongi, 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $316 in Tongi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 159% less in Tongi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tongi, where all-in costs run around $316, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Tongi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tongi – 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 Tongi. 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.