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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,823 in Tumba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,826 in Tumba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,829 in Tumba, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 29% cheaper than Tumba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Tumba is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$14.67 SEK 137

-20.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$67.3 SEK 630

-37.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$10.43 SEK 97.6

-0.19%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$4.56 SEK 42.65

-20.83%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$2.77 SEK 25.92

-47.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$2.40 SEK 22.45

-59.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$7.49 SEK 70.1

-61.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$7.45 SEK 69.7

-37.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.79 SEK 16.79

-20.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$3.18 SEK 29.76

-40.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$3.97 SEK 37.12

-60.45%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$4.03 SEK 37.68

-34.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$12.99 SEK 122

-35.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$12.88 SEK 121

-33.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$15.95 SEK 149

-31.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$3.48 SEK 32.58

-22.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$2.57 SEK 24.01

-41.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.54 SEK 14.41

24.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$4.45 SEK 41.64

-51.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.50 SEK 14.03

24.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.81 SEK 16.97

23.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$2.61 SEK 24.39

-58.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.63 SEK 15.25

-34.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$7.43 SEK 69.5

-44.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$10.59 SEK 99.0

-2.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.72 SEK 16.06

-2.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.91 SEK 17.85

32.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$4.56 SEK 42.65

-87.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$109 SEK 1,019

-75.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$6.17 SEK 57.7

-48.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.24 SEK 11.62

98.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$20.80 SEK 195

-84.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.98 SEK 18.51

-33.33%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$32.8K SEK 306.5K

-7.97%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$34.0K SEK 317.7K

-31.11%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$90.2 SEK 844

-9.83%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$28.47 SEK 266

-21.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$42.27 SEK 395

-29.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$43.41 SEK 406

18.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$25.07 SEK 235

-26.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$16.39 SEK 153

-68.52%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$145 SEK 1,360

38.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$4,105 SEK 38.4K

29.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$106 SEK 987

-66.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$43.81 SEK 410

-7.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$115 SEK 1,076

-31.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$159 SEK 1,484

-45.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$837 SEK 7,829

13.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$648 SEK 6,063

-26.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$1,366 SEK 12.8K

18.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$1,069 SEK 10.0K

14.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$4,511 SEK 42.2K

-11.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$2,874 SEK 26.9K

125.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Tumba: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $837 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $67.0 in Tumba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $366 – 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 41%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,734 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $1,823 in Tumba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 314% 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 $1,294, than in Tumba at $1,823. 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.