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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,846 in Tumba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,874 in Tumba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,902 in Tumba, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 30% cheaper than Tumba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Tumba is 38% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$14.65 SEK 136

-18.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$69.1 SEK 643

-38.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$10.37 SEK 96.4

2.12%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$4.49 SEK 41.71

-19.38%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$2.73 SEK 25.38

-46.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$2.39 SEK 22.24

-60.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$7.23 SEK 67.3

-57.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$7.57 SEK 70.4

-41.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.80 SEK 16.72

-20.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$3.05 SEK 28.39

-38.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$3.94 SEK 36.61

-58.63%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$3.86 SEK 35.86

-31.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$12.99 SEK 121

-36.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$13.03 SEK 121

-36.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$15.82 SEK 147

-29.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.59 SEK 33.36

-26.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.61 SEK 24.31

-42.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.56 SEK 14.52

27.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$4.49 SEK 41.74

-53.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.55 SEK 14.40

15.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.87 SEK 17.42

16.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.59 SEK 24.05

-58.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.55 SEK 14.41

-32.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$7.22 SEK 67.1

-45.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$12.94 SEK 120

-21.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.73 SEK 16.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.91 SEK 17.75

30.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$4.49 SEK 41.73

-88.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$108 SEK 1,007

-75.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$6.17 SEK 57.4

-49.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.24 SEK 11.56

93.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$21.40 SEK 199

-85.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.94 SEK 18.03

-34.54%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$32.4K SEK 301.7K

-4.80%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$34.8K SEK 323.3K

-32.94%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$90.1 SEK 838

-9.02%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$28.10 SEK 261

-20.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$42.22 SEK 393

-29.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$42.63 SEK 396

21.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$25.71 SEK 239

-27.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$16.03 SEK 149

-69.00%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$142 SEK 1,316

39.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$4,110 SEK 38.2K

28.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$106 SEK 987

-65.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$44.06 SEK 410

-9.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$114 SEK 1,062

-30.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$157 SEK 1,458

-43.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$843 SEK 7,842

14.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$654 SEK 6,084

-28.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,370 SEK 12.7K

16.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,099 SEK 10.2K

9.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$4,049 SEK 37.7K

-2.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$3,184 SEK 29.6K

102.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.16

174.52%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Tumba: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $843 in Tumba. 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $69.0 in Tumba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $369 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Tumba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tumba is pricier by about 44%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,770 in Tumba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,846 in Tumba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 302% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Tumba at $1,846. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tumba it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tumba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.