😐A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,045 in Trou aux Biches, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,724 in Trou aux Biches, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,402 in Trou aux Biches, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 22% more than Trou aux Biches, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Trou aux Biches are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen5% lower, Trou aux Biches22% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Trou aux Biches
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87MX$204
$6.51MUR 307
82.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90MX$736
$43.33MUR 2,041
-0.99%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.65MX$183
$6.94MUR 327
53.46%
Cappuccino
$3.45MX$59.2
$1.11MUR 52.3
210.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50MX$25.81
$0.85MUR 40.17
76.47%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95MX$16.28
$0.60MUR 28.30
58.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$51.9
$2.22MUR 104
36.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61MX$79.1
$3.26MUR 154
41.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Trou aux Biches
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.61
$1.63MUR 76.7
-15.34%
White Bread(500g)
$1.85MX$31.70
$0.69MUR 32.64
168.12%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.65
$1.27MUR 59.9
26.77%
Eggs
$2.59MX$44.51
$2.24MUR 105
15.62%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.26MX$142
$12.11MUR 570
-31.79%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.37MX$144
$6.11MUR 288
36.99%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.66MX$183
$12.85MUR 605
-17.04%
Apples(1kg)
$2.63MX$45.12
$2.05MUR 96.6
28.29%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49MX$25.53
$1.93MUR 90.9
-22.80%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.92MX$32.94
$1.50MUR 70.6
28.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$35.81
$2.75MUR 129
-24.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$31.88
$1.02MUR 48.13
82.35%
Onion(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.81
$0.96MUR 45.13
135.42%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06MX$18.23
$0.85MUR 40.08
24.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.67
$0.79MUR 37.42
37.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15MX$71.2
$6.69MUR 315
-37.97%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.39MX$178
$8.48MUR 399
22.52%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72MX$29.59
$1.73MUR 81.6
-0.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$44.85
$2.22MUR 104
17.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Trou aux Biches
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.30
$1.00MUR 47.29
-46.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.94MX$462
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$53.7
$4.33MUR 204
-27.71%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.51MX$43.09
$2.69MUR 126
-6.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.15MX$54.1
$19.96MUR 940
-84.22%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$21.88
$1.44MUR 68.0
-11.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4KMX$521.3K
$35.1KMUR 1.7M
-13.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6KMX$404.5K
$28.5KMUR 1.3M
-17.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Trou aux Biches
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0MX$1,425
$49.03MUR 2,309
69.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71MX$390
$18.12MUR 853
25.33%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46MX$506
$33.28MUR 1,567
-11.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Trou aux Biches
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.0MX$875
$38.82MUR 1,828
31.38%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33MX$315
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.93MX$84.5
$5.93MUR 279
-16.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Trou aux Biches
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197MX$3,386
$155MUR 7,318
26.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,280MX$90.6K
$3,941MUR 185.6K
33.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Trou aux Biches
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90MX$633
$86.5MUR 4,073
-57.34%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89MX$685
$78.6MUR 3,700
-49.24%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.0MX$1,373
$132MUR 6,222
-39.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5MX$1,536
$95.3MUR 4,490
-6.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Trou aux Biches
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$956MX$16.4K
$518MUR 24.4K
84.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$477MX$8,189
$351MUR 16.5K
35.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,646MX$28.3K
$956MUR 45.0K
72.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,225MX$21.0K
$734MUR 34.6K
66.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,918MX$67.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,459MX$110.9K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Trou aux Biches
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$667MX$11.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
6.67
71.21%
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 Trou aux Biches: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $518 in Trou aux Biches. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $43.00 in Trou aux Biches. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $232 in Trou aux Biches – so Trou aux Biches 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 Trou aux Biches: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Trou aux Biches cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 22%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,568 in Trou aux Biches. 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 Trou aux Biches, 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 Trou aux Biches?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,045 in Trou aux Biches. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $155 in Trou aux Biches. 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 Playa del Carmen or Trou aux Biches?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Trou aux Biches, where all-in costs run around $1,045, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Trou aux Biches it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Trou aux Biches more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Trou aux Biches – 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 Trou aux Biches?
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 Trou aux Biches. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared