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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $878 in Tula, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,423 in Tula, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,969 in Tula, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 44% more than Tula, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tula are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Tula 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$11.74 ₽992

-1.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$59.7 ₽5,042

-21.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.07 ₽597

68.03%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.71 ₽313

7.28%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.53 ₽129

-6.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.82 ₽69.4

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$4.86 ₽411

-34.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$4.75 ₽401

42.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.21 ₽102

38.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.98 ₽83.2

124.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.62 ₽137

5.56%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.86 ₽157

47.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$13.56 ₽1,146

-29.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.45 ₽545

39.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$11.75 ₽993

9.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.01 ₽170

43.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.75 ₽148

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.00 ₽169

7.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.04 ₽341

-44.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.85 ₽71.8

132.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.66 ₽56.1

201.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.61 ₽136

-23.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.90 ₽76.2

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$3.27 ₽277

39.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$11.66 ₽985

-11.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.15 ₽96.8

40.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.39 ₽202

20.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.52 ₽43.71

15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.82 ₽154

196.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.72 ₽61.0

418.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$10.68 ₽903

-45.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.82 ₽69.5

87.80%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$38.1K ₽3.2M

-40.77%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$38.1K ₽3.2M

-31.68%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$158 ₽13.4K

-42.22%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$8.40 ₽710

200.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$9.63 ₽814

224.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$8.26 ₽698

-41.16%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$774 ₽65.4K

-71.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$25.3K ₽2.1M

-83.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$105 ₽8,883

-55.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$61.7 ₽5,209

-28.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$145 ₽12.2K

-44.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$174 ₽14.7K

-46.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

19.52

-41.34%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Tula: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $60.0 in Tula. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $248 in Tula – so Tula 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 Tula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,317 in Tula. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $878 in Tula. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $774 in Tula. 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 Tula, where all-in costs run around $878, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Tula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tula – 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 Tula. 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.