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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,243 in Tunapuna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,016 in Tunapuna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,790 in Tunapuna, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 4% more than Tunapuna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tunapuna are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Tunapuna 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$5.74 TTD 38.75

104.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$72.8 TTD 492

-42.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$6.48 TTD 43.77

60.65%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$3.04 TTD 20.53

18.75%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.54 TTD 3.68

170.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.46 TTD 3.08

110.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.50 TTD 10.12

94.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$2.88 TTD 19.48

60.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$2.11 TTD 14.23

-32.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$2.72 TTD 18.41

-30.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$2.63 TTD 17.76

-40.30%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$5.12 TTD 34.57

-48.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$7.88 TTD 53.2

7.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$10.56 TTD 71.3

-18.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$14.57 TTD 98.5

-24.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$5.86 TTD 39.62

-53.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$2.61 TTD 17.62

-42.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$4.40 TTD 29.75

-56.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$4.59 TTD 31.04

-52.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.50 TTD 10.15

24.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.64 TTD 11.11

35.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.96 TTD 13.27

-44.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.00 TTD 6.77

7.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$5.21 TTD 35.19

-20.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$19.13 TTD 129

-46.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.47 TTD 9.92

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$2.70 TTD 18.23

-6.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$1.01 TTD 6.85

216.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.21 TTD 8.20

103.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$14.73 TTD 99.5

-78.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.02 TTD 6.87

29.41%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$33.7K TTD 227.9K

-10.63%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$37.9K TTD 256.2K

-38.32%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$80.7 TTD 545

0.82%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$47.05 TTD 318

-52.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$60.6 TTD 409

-50.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$10.22 TTD 69.1

-49.51%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$327 TTD 2,206

-38.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$7,297 TTD 49.3K

-27.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$59.6 TTD 403

-40.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$37.67 TTD 255

7.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$146 TTD 983

-45.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$58.3 TTD 394

48.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$437 TTD 2,950

117.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$384 TTD 2,596

24.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$1,031 TTD 6,965

57.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$696 TTD 4,701

75.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.38

112.27%

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 Tunapuna: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $437 in Tunapuna. 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 $73.0 in Tunapuna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $364 – 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 Tunapuna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 4%, 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 $1,864 in Tunapuna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tunapuna, 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 $1,243 in Tunapuna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $327 in Tunapuna. 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 Tunapuna, where all-in costs run around $1,243, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Tunapuna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tunapuna – 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 Tunapuna. 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.