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 $1,265 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,909 in Tumba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,314 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,894 in Tumba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,879 in Tumba, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 34% cheaper than Tumba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Tumba is 42% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.48 MX$203

$14.13 SEK 140

-18.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.90 MX$829

$65.1 SEK 646

-28.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 MX$210

$10.15 SEK 101

17.24%

Cappuccino

$4.02 MX$71.1

$4.33 SEK 42.91

-7.16%

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

$1.37 MX$24.18

$2.73 SEK 27.10

-49.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.42

$2.16 SEK 21.41

-62.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 MX$58.4

$7.20 SEK 71.4

-54.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 MX$119

$7.24 SEK 71.8

-7.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MX$29.02

$1.70 SEK 16.86

-3.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$37.98

$3.04 SEK 30.12

-29.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$31.31

$3.80 SEK 37.70

-53.42%

Eggs

$2.75 MX$48.64

$5.03 SEK 49.84

-45.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.15 MX$162

$12.80 SEK 127

-28.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$163

$12.98 SEK 129

-28.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.41 MX$219

$17.14 SEK 170

-27.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MX$51.3

$3.19 SEK 31.63

-9.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.48

$2.73 SEK 27.06

-45.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 MX$38.20

$2.01 SEK 19.96

7.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 MX$39.69

$4.47 SEK 44.34

-49.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$35.74

$1.45 SEK 14.40

39.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 MX$35.72

$1.73 SEK 17.20

16.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 MX$21.11

$2.25 SEK 22.33

-47.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$20.06

$1.85 SEK 18.34

-38.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 MX$78.3

$7.04 SEK 69.8

-37.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 MX$188

$10.29 SEK 102

3.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.64

$2.02 SEK 20.05

-16.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 MX$51.3

$2.35 SEK 23.29

23.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.67

$4.37 SEK 43.33

-86.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.09 MX$514

$103 SEK 1,017

-71.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$94.0

$5.97 SEK 59.2

-10.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.57 MX$63.1

$1.50 SEK 14.85

138.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 MX$104

$57.2 SEK 567

-89.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$26.66

$1.76 SEK 17.47

-14.20%

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

$22.3K MX$395.0K

$33.4K SEK 331.1K

-33.08%

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

$25.7K MX$453.5K

$32.9K SEK 325.9K

-21.95%

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

$90.6 MX$1,600

$180 SEK 1,786

-49.74%

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

$25.44 MX$450

$21.87 SEK 217

16.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.61 MX$541

$47.36 SEK 470

-35.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.9 MX$1,183

$40.85 SEK 405

63.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.47 MX$521

$28.65 SEK 284

2.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MX$86.7

$16.54 SEK 164

-70.31%

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

$216 MX$3,811

$160 SEK 1,586

34.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,125 MX$72.9K

$5,015 SEK 49.7K

-17.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.02 MX$813

$112 SEK 1,107

-58.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.24 MX$782

$54.4 SEK 539

-18.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 MX$1,385

$95.8 SEK 949

-18.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.0 MX$1,627

$191 SEK 1,896

-51.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 MX$18.8K

$804 SEK 7,976

31.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 MX$6,967

$578 SEK 5,735

-31.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,120 MX$37.5K

$1,520 SEK 15.1K

39.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,259 MX$22.2K

$988 SEK 9,791

27.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,072 MX$72.0K

$3,551 SEK 35.2K

14.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,606 MX$116.8K

$2,923 SEK 29.0K

126.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$752 MX$13.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.2

257.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 21, 2026

Last update for Tumba: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,061 in Playa del Carmen versus $804 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $65.0 in Tumba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $375 – 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 51%, 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 $1,898 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,864 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 $1,265 in Playa del Carmen and $1,909 in Tumba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 253% 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 $1,265, than in Tumba at $1,909. 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.