Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Treinta y Tres Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Treinta y Tres

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,030 in Treinta y Tres, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,600 in Treinta y Tres, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,170 in Treinta y Tres, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 23% more than Treinta y Tres, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Playa del Carmen and Treinta y Tres are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Treinta y Tres 25% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Treinta y Tres
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60 MX$200
$13.62 UYU 547
-14.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.11 MX$811
$43.24 UYU 1,737
8.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.88 MX$205
$8.80 UYU 354
35.00%
Cappuccino
$3.98 MX$68.5
$2.79 UYU 112
42.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 MX$24.58
$2.68 UYU 108
-46.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$14.20
$2.00 UYU 80.2
-59.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$54.9
$2.23 UYU 89.4
43.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79 MX$117
$2.90 UYU 116
134.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Treinta y Tres
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.86
$1.07 UYU 42.92
57.01%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$37.84
$2.21 UYU 88.6
-0.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.71 MX$29.42
$1.75 UYU 70.5
-2.29%
Eggs
$2.74 MX$47.21
$3.80 UYU 153
-27.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.58 MX$165
$12.35 UYU 496
-22.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.01 MX$155
$8.93 UYU 359
0.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.81 MX$221
$7.64 UYU 307
67.67%
Apples (1kg)
$2.89 MX$49.75
$2.18 UYU 87.4
32.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$25.79
$1.23 UYU 49.27
21.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.15 MX$37.00
$1.52 UYU 61.1
41.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.92
$2.33 UYU 93.6
-3.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.98 MX$34.11
$1.21 UYU 48.74
63.64%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.27
$2.26 UYU 90.9
-11.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 MX$21.26
$1.10 UYU 44.13
11.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$20.61
$1.92 UYU 77.0
-37.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55 MX$78.4
$5.37 UYU 216
-15.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.37 MX$179
$5.45 UYU 219
90.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 MX$27.88
$2.22 UYU 89.2
-27.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 MX$49.61
$2.75 UYU 111
4.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Treinta y Tres
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.34
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.80 MX$496
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$92.8
$1.27 UYU 51.2
324.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.73 MX$64.2
$0.43 UYU 17.33
767.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.77 MX$99.4
$10.54 UYU 423
-45.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.46
$1.96 UYU 78.5
-21.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K MX$388.4K
$19.8K UYU 795.6K
13.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K MX$448.8K
$37.8K UYU 1.5M
-31.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Treinta y Tres
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$91.4 MX$1,574
$113 UYU 4,532
-19.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.20 MX$434
$12.31 UYU 495
104.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.24 MX$538
$36.55 UYU 1,468
-14.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Treinta y Tres
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 MX$1,158
$30.28 UYU 1,216
121.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11 MX$501
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$83.8
$6.03 UYU 242
-19.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Treinta y Tres
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$224 MX$3,852
$176 UYU 7,073
26.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,229 MX$72.8K
$2,718 UYU 109.2K
55.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Treinta y Tres
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.10 MX$811
$61.6 UYU 2,474
-23.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.29 MX$763
$19.92 UYU 800
122.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.1 MX$1,380
$98.2 UYU 3,943
-18.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7 MX$1,596
$111 UYU 4,448
-16.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Treinta y Tres
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,063 MX$18.3K
$442 UYU 17.7K
140.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$390 MX$6,721
$245 UYU 9,823
59.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,149 MX$37.0K
$624 UYU 25.1K
244.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,272 MX$21.9K
$379 UYU 15.2K
235.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,001 MX$68.9K
$801 UYU 32.2K
399.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,502 MX$112.0K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Treinta y Tres
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$758 MX$13.1K
$754 UYU 30.3K
0.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
4
186.25%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Treinta y Tres: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $442 in Treinta y Tres. 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 1% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $43.00 in Treinta y Tres. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $259 – making Treinta y Tres 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 Treinta y Tres: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Treinta y Tres cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 23%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,544 in Treinta y Tres. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Treinta y Tres, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Treinta y Tres?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,030 in Treinta y Tres. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $176 in Treinta y Tres. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Treinta y Tres?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Treinta y Tres, where all-in costs run around $1,030, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Treinta y Tres it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Treinta y Tres more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Treinta y Tres – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Treinta y Tres?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Treinta y Tres. 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.

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