Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Três Lagoas Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Três Lagoas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $749 in Três Lagoas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,331 in Três Lagoas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,914 in Três Lagoas, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 68% more than Três Lagoas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Três Lagoas are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Três Lagoas 44% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Três Lagoas
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.67 MX$202
$5.35 R$26.59
118.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.88 MX$726
$27.40 R$136
52.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.40 MX$180
$6.17 R$30.65
68.56%
Cappuccino
$3.61 MX$62.6
$1.73 R$8.62
108.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.45
$1.08 R$5.37
36.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.80
$0.61 R$3.05
49.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$52.6
$1.77 R$8.81
71.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 MX$77.4
$2.62 R$13.04
70.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Três Lagoas
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.83
$1.31 R$6.52
5.34%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 MX$31.93
$1.91 R$9.49
-3.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.82
$1.93 R$9.59
-16.58%
Eggs
$2.57 MX$44.52
$3.41 R$16.95
-24.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.49 MX$147
$5.43 R$26.97
56.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.49 MX$147
$4.87 R$24.22
74.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.99 MX$190
$5.88 R$29.23
86.90%
Apples (1kg)
$2.73 MX$47.25
$1.52 R$7.53
79.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$25.92
$1.25 R$6.19
20.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 MX$33.93
$1.32 R$6.56
48.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$36.70
$2.05 R$10.17
3.41%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$32.30
$1.65 R$8.19
12.73%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.67
$1.11 R$5.50
95.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.59
$0.75 R$3.73
42.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 MX$18.18
$0.51 R$2.56
105.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19 MX$72.6
$1.79 R$8.89
134.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.28 MX$178
$8.00 R$39.76
28.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$28.87
$0.93 R$4.61
79.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 MX$43.12
$2.00 R$9.96
24.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Três Lagoas
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.37
$0.88 R$4.39
-38.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.27 MX$455
$39.23 R$195
-33.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.10 MX$53.8
$1.10 R$5.47
181.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.46 MX$42.66
$0.69 R$3.45
256.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 MX$56.1
$6.24 R$31.01
-48.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 MX$21.83
$1.07 R$5.34
17.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K MX$522.8K
$20.4K R$101.6K
47.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$406.3K
$28.0K R$139.2K
-16.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Três Lagoas
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.0 MX$1,456
$59.9 R$298
40.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21 MX$385
$13.43 R$66.7
65.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.65 MX$514
$18.98 R$94.3
56.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Três Lagoas
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.6 MX$912
$22.37 R$111
135.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.34 MX$318
$22.01 R$109
-16.67%
Cinema Ticket
$4.95 MX$85.7
$6.14 R$30.50
-19.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Três Lagoas
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,438
$266 R$1,323
-25.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,322 MX$92.2K
$6,560 R$32.6K
-18.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Três Lagoas
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.95 MX$623
$48.98 R$243
-26.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.06 MX$694
$41.63 R$207
-3.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 MX$1,365
$74.7 R$371
5.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5 MX$1,499
$64.5 R$321
34.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Três Lagoas
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$977 MX$16.9K
$361 R$1,796
170.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$471 MX$8,158
$181 R$898
160.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,595 MX$27.6K
$798 R$3,965
99.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,215 MX$21.1K
$587 R$2,916
107.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,032 MX$69.9K
$1,690 R$8,398
138.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,579 MX$114.0K
$1,215 R$6,039
441.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Três Lagoas
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$714 MX$12.4K
$184 R$914
288.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
10.92
4.58%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Três Lagoas: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $361 in Três Lagoas. 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 288% 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 $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $27 in Três Lagoas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $183 – making Três Lagoas 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 Três Lagoas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Três Lagoas cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 68%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,123 in Três Lagoas. 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 Três Lagoas, 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 vs Três Lagoas?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $749 in Três Lagoas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 49% less in Três Lagoas. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Três Lagoas?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Três Lagoas, where all-in costs run around $749, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Três Lagoas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Três Lagoas more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Três Lagoas – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Três Lagoas. 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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