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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $832 in Torreon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,376 in Torreon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,920 in Torreon, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 56% more than Torreon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Torreon are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Torreon 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$205

$8.99 MX$157

30.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$727

$42.55 MX$743

-2.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$186

$7.73 MX$135

37.65%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.5

$2.36 MX$41.23

49.15%

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

$1.51 MX$26.37

$1.15 MX$20.16

31.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.00

$0.81 MX$14.21

19.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$1.62 MX$28.36

82.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.8

$3.24 MX$56.5

37.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.16

$1.45 MX$25.28

-4.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$33.04

$2.99 MX$52.2

-36.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.59

$1.72 MX$30.05

-4.65%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.76

$2.22 MX$38.69

13.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$8.97 MX$157

-7.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$6.40 MX$112

30.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$187

$12.32 MX$215

-12.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.48

$2.49 MX$43.42

4.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.45

$1.20 MX$20.97

21.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.19

$1.74 MX$30.41

9.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.26

$1.22 MX$21.34

70.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.01

$1.64 MX$28.60

8.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.16

$1.55 MX$27.00

41.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.16

$1.11 MX$19.44

-6.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.80

$1.06 MX$18.56

1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.3

$3.94 MX$68.7

3.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$180

$10.29 MX$180

0.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.90

$1.23 MX$21.46

39.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.98

$2.01 MX$35.15

28.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$0.68 MX$11.84

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

$11.84 MX$207

123.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.0

$1.82 MX$31.77

79.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.51

$0.75 MX$13.14

232.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.7

$9.06 MX$158

-64.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.83

$1.26 MX$21.94

3.97%

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

$30.3K MX$528.8K

$19.5K MX$340.0K

55.56%

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

$23.4K MX$409.2K

$20.0K MX$349.4K

17.10%

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

$82.9 MX$1,447

$57.0 MX$995

45.51%

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

$22.22 MX$388

$22.50 MX$393

-1.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$512

$23.10 MX$403

27.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$902

$39.29 MX$686

31.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

$9.44 MX$165

94.07%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$88.5

$3.88 MX$67.7

30.67%

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

$201 MX$3,507

$203 MX$3,550

-1.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.0K

$4,406 MX$77.0K

18.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$645

$48.40 MX$845

-23.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$695

$35.05 MX$612

13.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,370

$87.5 MX$1,528

-10.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,521

$77.6 MX$1,356

12.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$17.0K

$265 MX$4,623

267.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,169

$169 MX$2,947

177.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.7K

$483 MX$8,432

239.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.3K

$355 MX$6,208

243.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

$1,713 MX$29.9K

130.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.5K

$1,368 MX$23.9K

374.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

$810 MX$14.2K

-18.07%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Torreon: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $265 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 22% 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 $43.00 in Torreon. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $245 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 56%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,247 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $832 in Torreon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 123% 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 $832, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.