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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $771 in Tsumeb, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,263 in Tsumeb, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,756 in Tsumeb, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 68% more than Tsumeb, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tsumeb are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Tsumeb 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$16.88 NAD 273

-30.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$37.39 NAD 605

11.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$8.72 NAD 141

19.38%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$2.17 NAD 35.21

66.36%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$2.12 NAD 34.41

-31.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$2.20 NAD 35.56

-55.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$2.38 NAD 38.61

22.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$1.20 NAD 19.50

285.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.36 NAD 22.09

5.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$0.75 NAD 12.11

153.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.52 NAD 24.69

3.29%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.72 NAD 44.06

-2.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$13.35 NAD 216

-36.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$3.26 NAD 52.7

163.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$9.63 NAD 156

14.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$2.31 NAD 37.43

16.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$2.70 NAD 43.68

-44.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$2.48 NAD 40.23

-22.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$2.05 NAD 33.17

5.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$2.22 NAD 36.01

-15.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.64 NAD 26.60

35.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.47 NAD 23.86

-26.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.92 NAD 14.92

16.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$2.96 NAD 47.85

40.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$0.88 NAD 14.18

90.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.26 NAD 20.33

100.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.81 NAD 13.07

295.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.83 NAD 13.44

196.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.14 NAD 18.40

15.79%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$27.5K NAD 445.8K

9.51%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$20.9K NAD 338.3K

11.98%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

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

$22.41 MX$386

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$28.18 NAD 456

6.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$22.68 NAD 367

127.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

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

$202 MX$3,471

$38.63 NAD 625

422.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$39.72 NAD 643

-10.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$26.14 NAD 423

54.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$42.59 NAD 690

84.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$49.12 NAD 795

76.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$261 NAD 4,229

263.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$208 NAD 3,360

130.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$465 NAD 7,530

248.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$358 NAD 5,796

241.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

26.89%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Tsumeb: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $261 in Tsumeb. 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 $37.00 in Tsumeb. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $205 – making Tsumeb 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 Tsumeb: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 68%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,156 in Tsumeb. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tsumeb, 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $771 in Tsumeb. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $38.63 in Tsumeb. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tsumeb, where all-in costs run around $771, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Tsumeb it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tsumeb – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Tsumeb. 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.