Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Tula

For one person, living is cheaper in Tula: $959 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Playa del Carmen outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Tula, Russia
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Tula
🇷🇺 Russia
$959
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Tula

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Tula actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $959 in Tula, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Tula $959

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,569 in Tula, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Tula $1,569

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,179 in Tula, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Tula $2,179

Playa del Carmen costs about 26% more than Tula, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tula are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Tula 30% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Tula
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$12.58 ₽1,013
-13.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$815
$61.4 ₽4,943
-29.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$7.60 ₽612
55.00%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.6
$3.84 ₽310
-0.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.10
$1.71 ₽138
-25.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.71
$0.85 ₽68.8
-8.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.5
$5.02 ₽404
-36.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$5.37 ₽433
-8.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Tula
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.43
$1.31 ₽105
7.63%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.66
$1.09 ₽87.8
103.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.64
$1.78 ₽143
-20.22%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.41
$1.95 ₽157
29.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$137
$15.21 ₽1,225
-52.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$145
$7.03 ₽566
9.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$239
$12.32 ₽993
3.00%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.3
$2.11 ₽170
31.75%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.71
$1.94 ₽156
-29.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.94
$2.05 ₽165
24.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.90
$4.18 ₽337
-49.28%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.43
$1.00 ₽80.4
94.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.44
$0.72 ₽58.2
162.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.55
$1.63 ₽131
-29.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.16
$0.96 ₽77.0
22.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.7
$3.75 ₽302
14.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$187
$12.31 ₽992
-19.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.76
$1.23 ₽99.0
28.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.2
$2.62 ₽211
1.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Tula
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.40
$0.55 ₽43.93
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$500
$22.52 ₽1,814
18.21%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.4
$1.83 ₽147
171.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.6
$0.86 ₽69.3
287.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$101
$12.13 ₽977
-55.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.14
$0.87 ₽69.9
65.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$388.4K
$44.0K ₽3.5M
-52.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$441.0K
$39.8K ₽3.2M
-41.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Tula
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,594
$169 ₽13.6K
-49.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$440
$9.14 ₽736
156.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$539
$9.96 ₽802
187.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Tula
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,072
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$543
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.6
$9.85 ₽794
-47.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Tula
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,882
$868 ₽69.9K
-76.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.8K
$29.6K ₽2.4M
-86.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Tula
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$815
$115 ₽9,254
-62.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$779
$69.9 ₽5,631
-40.74%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,394
$155 ₽12.5K
-52.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,677
$188 ₽15.2K
-52.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Tula
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,157
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.1K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$74.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Tula
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
19.58
-41.52%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Tula: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Tula
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Tula
$266 4.6% $12
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Tula
$216 6.6% $13
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Tula
$189 37.8% $52
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Tula
$238 113% $126
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Tula
$20 * 70.7% $48
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Tula
$31 38.9% $20

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $61 in Tula. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $266 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇷🇺 Tula
🕒 Local time
00:29 12:29 AM
08:29 8:29 AM
8 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
475,161
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.98 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 80.53 RUB (100 RUB = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 89.92 RUB (100 RUB = 1.11 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Tula 10,170 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Tula

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Tula cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 26%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,438 in Tula. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Tula?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $959 in Tula. That makes Tula about 20% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 15% less in Tula. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $800 enough to cover costs in Playa del Carmen or in Tula?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $959 in Tula. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Tula?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $959 in Tula to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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