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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $842 in Torreon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,177 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,408 in Torreon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,095 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,973 in Torreon, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 49% more than Torreon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Torreon are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Torreon 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$208

$9.29 MX$162

28.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$730

$42.11 MX$733

-0.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$181

$7.82 MX$136

33.25%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.2

$2.42 MX$42.07

45.04%

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

$1.52 MX$26.39

$1.20 MX$20.91

26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.84

$0.82 MX$14.32

10.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$52.9

$1.57 MX$27.25

93.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.1

$3.14 MX$54.7

39.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.73

$1.50 MX$26.16

-5.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.87

$3.04 MX$52.9

-39.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.45

$1.74 MX$30.21

-6.32%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.20

$2.31 MX$40.12

9.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$149

$8.98 MX$156

-4.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$6.35 MX$110

33.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$188

$12.37 MX$215

-12.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$47.94

$2.58 MX$44.87

6.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.00

$1.21 MX$21.09

19.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.83

$1.75 MX$30.43

8.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.77

$1.18 MX$20.50

83.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.97

$1.70 MX$29.60

4.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.71

$1.63 MX$28.35

36.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.60

$1.11 MX$19.35

-3.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.79

$1.11 MX$19.29

-2.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.2

$4.07 MX$70.8

1.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$182

$10.12 MX$176

3.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.34

$1.24 MX$21.53

40.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.92

$1.92 MX$33.46

34.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.94

$0.69 MX$11.95

-26.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$451

$11.66 MX$203

122.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$55.9

$1.84 MX$31.98

74.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.55

$0.70 MX$12.14

257.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.4

$9.32 MX$162

-65.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.87

$1.22 MX$21.23

3.28%

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

$29.7K MX$516.6K

$19.1K MX$332.0K

55.62%

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

$23.7K MX$412.1K

$19.6K MX$341.4K

20.73%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$55.7 MX$970

47.17%

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

$22.73 MX$395

$22.69 MX$395

0.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$512

$22.81 MX$397

28.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$908

$40.05 MX$697

30.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

$9.03 MX$157

104.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$85.9

$3.90 MX$67.9

26.41%

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

$202 MX$3,511

$207 MX$3,603

-2.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$90.8K

$4,465 MX$77.7K

16.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$625

$48.73 MX$848

-26.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$34.51 MX$600

16.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$87.5 MX$1,522

-8.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,554

$77.5 MX$1,348

15.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.5K

$269 MX$4,686

252.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,097

$169 MX$2,936

175.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

$491 MX$8,541

232.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

$351 MX$6,105

240.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.4K

$1,710 MX$29.8K

130.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$111.9K

$1,352 MX$23.5K

375.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

$796 MX$13.9K

-17.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.5

-0.70%

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 Torreon: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $269 in Torreon. 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 21% higher in Torreon, 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 $42.00 in Torreon. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $247 in Torreon – so Torreon 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 Torreon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 49%, 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 $1,264 in Torreon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Torreon, 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 $842 in Torreon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 122% less in Torreon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Torreon, where all-in costs run around $842, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. In Torreon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Torreon – 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 Torreon. 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.