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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,105 in Tulkarm, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,583 in Tulkarm, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,061 in Tulkarm, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 14% more than Tulkarm, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$9.67 ₪29.01

20.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$21.19 ₪63.6

97.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$8.07 ₪24.20

28.87%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.81 ₪8.42

28.47%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.80 ₪2.41

83.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.56 ₪1.69

62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$5.79 ₪17.36

-47.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$5.53 ₪16.58

-19.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$2.19 ₪6.57

-36.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$0.79 ₪2.36

132.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$2.63 ₪7.88

-38.78%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$2.23 ₪6.68

15.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$7.61 ₪22.84

11.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$7.81 ₪23.43

8.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$17.58 ₪52.7

-37.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$2.63 ₪7.88

3.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.65 ₪4.94

-9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$1.37 ₪4.12

43.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.50 ₪4.49

41.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$1.08 ₪3.24

72.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$1.38 ₪4.13

57.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$1.45 ₪4.35

-26.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.86 ₪2.57

22.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$8.12 ₪24.37

-48.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$17.51 ₪52.5

-41.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$2.74 ₪8.22

-39.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$2.52 ₪7.55

-1.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$2.75 ₪8.24

-80.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$70.5 ₪211

-62.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$2.84 ₪8.51

9.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$2.19 ₪6.56

12.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$14.05 ₪42.16

-76.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.96 ₪5.87

-35.71%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$39.7K ₪119.1K

-24.04%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$46.7K ₪140.0K

-49.75%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$87.0 ₪261

-3.43%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$18.56 ₪55.7

19.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$46.59 ₪140

-36.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$37.08 ₪111

41.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$24.14 ₪72.4

-24.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$8.56 ₪25.68

-42.17%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$118 ₪353

68.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$1,836 ₪5,507

189.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$61.6 ₪185

-41.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$38.59 ₪116

3.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$88.2 ₪265

-10.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$73.7 ₪221

17.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$284 ₪851

244.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$226 ₪679

107.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$345 ₪1,034

363.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$256 ₪767

375.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.62

103.20%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Tulkarm: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $284 in Tulkarm. 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 in Playa del Carmen versus $21 in Tulkarm. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $276 in Tulkarm – so Playa del Carmen 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 Tulkarm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,658 in Tulkarm. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tulkarm, 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $1,105 in Tulkarm. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 168% less in Tulkarm. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tulkarm, where all-in costs run around $1,105, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Tulkarm it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tulkarm – 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 Tulkarm. 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.