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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,652 in Torrox, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,343 in Torrox, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,033 in Torrox, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 22% cheaper than Torrox, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Torrox is 24% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$14.91 €12.84

-21.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$37.83 €32.57

10.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$10.43 €8.98

-0.19%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$2.22 €1.91

62.61%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$2.36 €2.03

-38.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$1.64 €1.42

-40.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$3.45 €2.97

-15.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$3.37 €2.91

37.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.16 €1.00

23.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.45 €1.25

31.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.62 €1.40

-3.09%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.96 €2.55

-10.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$13.53 €11.65

-37.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$8.62 €7.43

-0.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$14.94 €12.87

-26.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$2.52 €2.17

7.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$2.01 €1.73

-24.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.99 €1.71

-4.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$2.66 €2.29

-18.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.72 €1.48

8.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.97 €1.70

13.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.40 €1.21

-22.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.71 €0.61

50.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$6.32 €5.44

-34.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$5.36 €4.62

91.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.25 €1.08

34.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$2.14 €1.84

18.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$1.18 €1.02

-53.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$33.75 €29.06

-22.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$4.10 €3.53

-21.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.21 €1.04

103.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$24.47 €21.07

-86.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.80 €1.55

-26.67%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$38.1K €32.8K

-20.82%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$30.4K €26.2K

-23.14%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$135 €116

-39.86%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$20.86 €17.96

7.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$30.46 €26.23

-1.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$48.39 €41.67

6.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$15.22 €13.10

20.83%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$9.48 €8.17

-45.57%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$410 €353

-50.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$7,509 €6,466

-29.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$82.9 €71.4

-57.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$35.74 €30.78

12.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$89.8 €77.4

-12.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$110 €95.0

-21.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$858 €739

10.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$688 €592

-30.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$1,306 €1,124

24.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$1,012 €872

20.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$3,260 €2,807

23.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$1,955 €1,684

231.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$1,424 €1,226

-52.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.5

226.29%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Torrox: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $858 in Torrox. 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 112% higher in Torrox, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $38.00 in Torrox. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Playa del Carmen vs $263 in Torrox – 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 Torrox: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Torrox is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,479 in Torrox. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $1,652 in Torrox. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 28% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,294, than in Torrox at $1,652. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Torrox it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Torrox makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.