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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,093 in Tula, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,771 in Tula, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,449 in Tula, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 15% more than Tula, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tula are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Tula 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$12.82 ₽1,007

-6.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$58.2 ₽4,575

-28.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$6.22 ₽489

72.83%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.04 ₽160

71.57%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.39 ₽109

4.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.63 ₽49.37

39.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.98 ₽156

48.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.12 ₽245

44.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.31 ₽103

9.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.61 ₽47.96

201.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.67 ₽131

-5.99%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.93 ₽152

30.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$12.67 ₽995

-34.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.32 ₽418

58.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$5.53 ₽435

93.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.89 ₽148

38.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.06 ₽162

-30.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.93 ₽152

1.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.65 ₽208

-21.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.03 ₽80.6

79.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.78 ₽61.6

178.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.69 ₽133

-39.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.79 ₽62.1

35.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.48 ₽195

65.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$7.75 ₽609

31.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.03 ₽81.3

63.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.05 ₽82.2

140.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.47 ₽37.12

8.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$17.48 ₽1,374

48.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.36 ₽107

137.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.32 ₽25.52

653.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$8.22 ₽646

-60.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.80 ₽63.2

65.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$23.0K ₽1.8M

29.24%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$30.4K ₽2.4M

-22.03%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$149 ₽11.7K

-44.96%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$8.07 ₽634

184.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$8.16 ₽641

269.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$16.86 ₽1,325

208.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$19.60 ₽1,540

-5.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$6.40 ₽503

-22.19%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$705 ₽55.4K

-72.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$14.6K ₽1.1M

-63.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$88.3 ₽6,933

-59.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$53.8 ₽4,224

-24.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$134 ₽10.6K

-41.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$163 ₽12.8K

-45.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$383 ₽30.1K

147.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$318 ₽25.0K

48.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$691 ₽54.3K

138.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$571 ₽44.9K

111.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,981 ₽155.6K

104.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,181 ₽92.8K

447.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$973 ₽76.4K

-32.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

14.86

-23.15%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tula: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $383 in Tula. 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 49% higher in Tula, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $58.0 in Tula. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $201 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 15%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,639 in Tula. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tula, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,093 in Tula. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 49% less in Tula. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tula, where all-in costs run around $1,093, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.