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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,046 in Treinta y Tres, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,569 in Treinta y Tres, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,092 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 4% lower, Treinta y Tres 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$13.63 UYU 542

-12.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$43.64 UYU 1,736

-2.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.68 UYU 345

22.00%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.77 UYU 110

30.69%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$2.18 UYU 86.5

-32.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.70 UYU 67.5

-44.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.16 UYU 85.8

43.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.92 UYU 116

52.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.06 UYU 42.18

34.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.15 UYU 85.4

-12.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.60 UYU 63.6

1.87%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$3.74 UYU 149

-29.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$12.34 UYU 491

-33.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$8.63 UYU 343

-3.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.28 UYU 289

52.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.05 UYU 81.7

29.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.25 UYU 49.72

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.46 UYU 57.9

36.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.29 UYU 91.2

-9.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.21 UYU 48.10

47.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.88 UYU 74.7

15.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.09 UYU 43.34

-0.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.74 UYU 69.0

-40.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$5.19 UYU 207

-23.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$5.66 UYU 225

80.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.24 UYU 89.1

-22.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.03 UYU 120

-17.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.20 UYU 47.69

161.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$2.42 UYU 96.3

-0.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$12.54 UYU 499

-75.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.91 UYU 76.1

-33.51%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$19.5K UYU 777.7K

57.97%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$36.3K UYU 1.4M

-35.74%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$112 UYU 4,457

-26.80%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$12.41 UYU 494

80.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$36.38 UYU 1,447

-18.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$29.41 UYU 1,170

76.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.15 UYU 245

-19.19%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$170 UYU 6,779

16.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$2,603 UYU 103.5K

102.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$61.9 UYU 2,462

-41.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$19.69 UYU 783

103.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$97.2 UYU 3,865

-17.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$109 UYU 4,347

-18.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$433 UYU 17.2K

122.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$242 UYU 9,620

92.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$604 UYU 24.0K

164.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$366 UYU 14.6K

230.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$812 UYU 32.3K

385.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$748 UYU 29.8K

-3.75%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Treinta y Tres: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $433 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 4% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Treinta y Tres. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $252 – 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,569 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,046 in Treinta y Tres. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $170 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 $1,046, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.