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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,057 in Tulum, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,922 in Tulum, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,787 in Tulum, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 23% more than Tulum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tulum are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Tulum 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$10.75 MX$186

9.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$50.8 MX$878

-18.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.79 MX$135

36.59%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.83 MX$66.2

-8.09%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.22 MX$21.18

23.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.12 MX$19.31

-13.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.72 MX$47.07

8.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.95 MX$68.3

12.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.42 MX$24.62

-2.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.18 MX$20.38

60.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.55 MX$26.75

5.81%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.93 MX$33.41

30.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.27 MX$91.2

58.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.98 MX$121

19.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.33 MX$109

69.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.16 MX$37.43

20.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.41 MX$24.40

3.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.45 MX$25.11

31.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.41 MX$24.37

47.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.18 MX$37.73

-18.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.96 MX$33.93

11.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.08 MX$18.71

-3.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.90 MX$15.65

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.28 MX$74.1

-4.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$8.57 MX$148

20.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.32 MX$22.85

29.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.31 MX$22.62

96.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.16 MX$20.00

-56.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.13 MX$36.84

53.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$2.16 MX$37.33

15.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$5.26 MX$91.0

-38.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.26 MX$21.84

3.97%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$15.7K MX$270.9K

93.34%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$21.3K MX$367.9K

10.15%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$83.7 MX$1,447

-0.93%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$22.49 MX$389

-1.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$28.48 MX$493

3.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$32.57 MX$563

58.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$15.60 MX$270

17.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.56 MX$79.0

11.18%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$206 MX$3,569

-2.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$2,852 MX$49.3K

82.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$26.76 MX$463

37.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$31.13 MX$539

27.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$79.0 MX$1,366

-0.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$45.00 MX$778

93.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$722 MX$12.5K

34.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$391 MX$6,770

19.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,483 MX$25.6K

10.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,214 MX$21.0K

0.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$3,338 MX$57.7K

18.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,893 MX$32.7K

243.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$769 MX$13.3K

-13.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.82%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Tulum: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $722 in Tulum. 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 16% higher in Tulum, 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 $51.0 in Tulum. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $194 in Tulum – so Tulum 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 Tulum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 23%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,585 in Tulum. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tulum, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,057 in Tulum. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $206 in Tulum. 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 Tulum, where all-in costs run around $1,057, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Tulum it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tulum – 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 Tulum. 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.