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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,023 in Treinta y Tres, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,580 in Treinta y Tres, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,137 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 5% lower, Treinta y Tres 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$13.58 UYU 546

-13.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$43.23 UYU 1,738

-3.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.81 UYU 354

19.30%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.72 UYU 109

31.99%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$2.26 UYU 91.0

-33.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.71 UYU 68.8

-46.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.18 UYU 87.7

35.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.85 UYU 115

54.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.11 UYU 44.69

26.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$2.26 UYU 90.9

-16.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.63 UYU 65.4

-4.29%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.72 UYU 149

-29.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$12.40 UYU 499

-32.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$8.48 UYU 341

-1.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.16 UYU 288

51.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.15 UYU 86.3

26.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.24 UYU 49.80

21.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.44 UYU 58.0

29.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$2.38 UYU 95.5

-7.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.24 UYU 49.99

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.85 UYU 74.5

20.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.12 UYU 44.86

-4.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.66 UYU 66.9

-34.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$5.22 UYU 210

-19.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$5.63 UYU 226

85.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.26 UYU 91.0

-26.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.05 UYU 123

-14.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.19 UYU 47.74

158.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$2.43 UYU 97.7

-1.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$12.52 UYU 504

-75.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.83 UYU 73.6

-28.42%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$19.8K UYU 795.7K

50.60%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$36.2K UYU 1.5M

-35.54%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$110 UYU 4,431

-26.26%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$12.33 UYU 496

82.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$36.76 UYU 1,478

-18.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$29.82 UYU 1,199

77.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.02 UYU 242

-18.27%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$171 UYU 6,860

17.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$2,641 UYU 106.2K

95.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$60.7 UYU 2,439

-40.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$19.53 UYU 785

105.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$94.4 UYU 3,794

-15.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$111 UYU 4,461

-22.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$437 UYU 17.6K

123.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$244 UYU 9,810

92.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$607 UYU 24.4K

172.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$363 UYU 14.6K

231.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$806 UYU 32.4K

390.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$737 UYU 29.6K

-8.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

185.50%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Treinta y Tres: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $437 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 9% higher in Treinta y Tres, 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 Treinta y Tres. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $253 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,535 in Treinta y Tres. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,023 in Treinta y Tres. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $171 in Treinta y Tres. 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 Treinta y Tres, where all-in costs run around $1,023, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Treinta y Tres it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 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.