Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Tsu Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Tsu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,211 in Tsu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,868 in Tsu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,526 in Tsu, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 7% more than Tsu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tsu are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Tsu 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.07 ¥1,131

65.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$19.08 ¥3,052

118.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.15 ¥663

156.39%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.31 ¥530

6.34%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.08 ¥172

39.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.72 ¥115

34.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.83 ¥452

4.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$4.41 ¥706

0.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.57 ¥252

-12.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.49 ¥239

26.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$4.71 ¥753

-65.18%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.42 ¥388

3.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$10.44 ¥1,670

-20.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.22 ¥995

34.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$19.12 ¥3,059

-43.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$3.60 ¥577

-27.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.12 ¥339

-31.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.60 ¥417

-26.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$4.54 ¥726

-54.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.65 ¥263

7.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.30 ¥208

68.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.38 ¥220

-24.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.83 ¥133

30.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.97 ¥634

2.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$9.57 ¥1,531

7.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.13 ¥341

-19.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$3.02 ¥483

-14.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.59 ¥254

-67.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$54.5 ¥8,711

-51.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$4.46 ¥714

-26.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$3.31 ¥530

-24.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$23.36 ¥3,736

-86.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.19 ¥190

10.08%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$23.6K ¥3.8M

28.42%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$16.9K ¥2.7M

38.92%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$134 ¥21.5K

-38.31%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$26.99 ¥4,318

-17.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$29.90 ¥4,782

-1.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$55.3 ¥8,838

-6.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$13.98 ¥2,236

31.04%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$12.67 ¥2,027

-59.98%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$70.3 ¥11.2K

185.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$10.3K ¥1.6M

-49.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$44.83 ¥7,171

-17.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$29.22 ¥4,674

36.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$68.5 ¥11.0K

14.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$94.2 ¥15.1K

-7.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$474 ¥75.7K

105.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$336 ¥53.7K

39.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$866 ¥138.5K

89.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$669 ¥107.0K

82.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$4,402 ¥704.1K

-10.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$2,430 ¥388.6K

167.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

1.81

530.94%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Tsu: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $474 in Tsu. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Tsu. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $302 in Tsu – so Playa del Carmen 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 Tsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,816 in Tsu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tsu, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,211 in Tsu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 106% less in Tsu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tsu, where all-in costs run around $1,211, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Tsu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tsu – 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 Tsu. 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.