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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $990 in Trang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,569 in Trang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,149 in Trang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 28% more than Trang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Trang are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Trang 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$1.81 ฿58.8

555.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$22.70 ฿739

88.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.88 ฿289

19.93%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.02 ฿98.4

14.24%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.75 ฿24.27

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.30 ฿9.62

216.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.44 ฿79.4

24.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.61 ฿118

27.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.24 ฿72.8

-38.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.26 ฿40.94

46.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.10 ฿35.90

46.36%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.16 ฿70.4

19.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$11.56 ฿377

-28.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.74 ฿122

123.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$13.44 ฿438

-20.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.29 ฿107

-20.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.64 ฿53.4

-9.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.38 ฿77.6

-19.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.09 ฿68.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.46 ฿47.71

27.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.24 ฿40.40

82.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.98 ฿31.89

8.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.49 ฿15.83

122.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$4.39 ฿143

-5.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$18.82 ฿613

-44.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.84 ฿60.0

-6.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.65 ฿86.4

-1.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.87 ฿28.48

-37.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.05 ฿34.26

198.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.01 ฿32.82

148.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$13.61 ฿443

-76.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.16 ฿37.71

9.48%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$27.5K ฿894.7K

10.57%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$33.5K ฿1.1M

-29.62%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$124 ฿4,038

-33.05%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$13.75 ฿448

65.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$18.34 ฿597

60.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$50.0 ฿1,629

1.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$11.97 ฿390

53.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$9.11 ฿297

-45.88%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$685 ฿22.3K

-71.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$15.8K ฿514.5K

-66.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$57.5 ฿1,872

-35.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$35.07 ฿1,142

13.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$114 ฿3,705

-29.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$83.3 ฿2,712

7.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$424 ฿13.8K

125.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$290 ฿9,453

64.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$804 ฿26.2K

104.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$668 ฿21.8K

83.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,737 ฿56.6K

125.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,616 ฿52.6K

299.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$1,320 ฿43.0K

-49.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.33

114.26%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Trang: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $424 in Trang. 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 98% higher in Trang, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $23.00 in Trang. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $257 in Trang – 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 Trang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 28%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,484 in Trang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Trang, 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $990 in Trang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $685 in Trang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Trang, where all-in costs run around $990, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Trang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Trang – 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 Trang. 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.