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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $827 in Tulcán, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,400 in Tulcán, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,973 in Tulcán, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 53% more than Tulcán, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tulcán are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Tulcán 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$5.47 $5.47

112.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$54.4 $54.4

-13.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.80 $7.80

52.31%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.42 $3.42

16.37%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.41 $1.41

1.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.08 $1.08

-24.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$3.56 $3.56

-10.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$5.38 $5.38

26.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.10 $1.10

52.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.59 $1.59

38.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.57 $1.57

8.92%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.11 $2.11

29.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$6.35 $6.35

50.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.50 $5.50

63.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.51 $7.51

70.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.33 $2.33

24.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.20 $1.20

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.33 $1.33

61.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.12 $1.12

101.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.23 $1.23

60.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.03 $1.03

93.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.91 $0.91

35.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.05 $1.05

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$6.07 $6.07

-25.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$10.16 $10.16

2.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.51 $1.51

7.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$3.06 $3.06

-5.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.31 $0.31

93.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$15.54 $15.54

85.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.54 $1.54

250.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.53 $1.53

143.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$9.90 $9.90

-41.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.81 $0.81

90.12%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$20.6K $20.6K

9.37%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$28.0K $28.0K

-6.92%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$29.09 $29.09

214.13%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$17.76 $17.76

41.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$28.00 $28.00

11.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$33.57 $33.57

100.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$14.26 $14.26

104.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$6.71 $6.71

-27.57%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$218 $218

2.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$8,848 $8,848

-52.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$63.5 $63.5

-25.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$49.48 $49.48

-10.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$113 $113

-29.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$107 $107

-13.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$345 $345

208.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$193 $193

102.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$649 $649

231.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$380 $380

234.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,309 $1,309

205.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$828 $828

685.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.12

13.14%

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 Tulcán: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $345 in Tulcán. 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $54.0 in Tulcán. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $197 in Tulcán – so Tulcán 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 Tulcán: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 53%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,240 in Tulcán. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tulcán, 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $827 in Tulcán. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 85% less in Tulcán. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tulcán, where all-in costs run around $827, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Tulcán it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tulcán – 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 Tulcán. 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.