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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,551 in Turgi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,359 in Turgi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,168 in Turgi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 64% cheaper than Turgi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Turgi is 165% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$37.38 CHF 29.57

-68.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$139 CHF 110

-69.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$15.70 CHF 12.42

-32.55%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$6.51 CHF 5.15

-44.39%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$5.34 CHF 4.22

-72.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$4.29 CHF 3.40

-78.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$8.50 CHF 6.73

-63.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$7.21 CHF 5.70

-38.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.32 CHF 1.83

-38.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$3.44 CHF 2.72

-45.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.29 CHF 1.81

-28.82%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$5.44 CHF 4.30

-51.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$31.04 CHF 24.56

-73.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$35.48 CHF 28.07

-76.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$50.6 CHF 40.06

-78.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.37 CHF 1.87

11.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.33 CHF 1.84

-35.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.88 CHF 2.28

-30.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.26 CHF 1.79

-7.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.46 CHF 1.95

-27.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.29 CHF 1.82

-4.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.65 CHF 2.10

-59.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.28 CHF 1.02

-18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$4.66 CHF 3.69

-14.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.22 CHF 5.71

41.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.25 CHF 1.78

-23.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.28 CHF 1.80

9.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$3.88 CHF 3.07

-86.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$99.5 CHF 78.7

-72.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$8.14 CHF 6.44

-61.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$4.52 CHF 3.58

-46.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$88.0 CHF 69.6

-96.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$2.13 CHF 1.68

-40.38%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$40.7K CHF 32.2K

-24.05%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$43.0K CHF 34.0K

-45.80%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$252 CHF 199

-67.40%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$73.3 CHF 58.0

-69.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$55.4 CHF 43.79

-46.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$86.7 CHF 68.6

-40.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$22.48 CHF 17.78

-77.89%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$2,914 CHF 2,305

-93.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$42.9K CHF 33.9K

-87.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$138 CHF 109

-73.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$77.2 CHF 61.0

-48.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$133 CHF 105

-39.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$162 CHF 128

-45.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$1,702 CHF 1,346

-43.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$1,446 CHF 1,143

-67.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$2,787 CHF 2,204

-42.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$2,448 CHF 1,936

-50.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$14.8K CHF 11.7K

-73.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$10.9K CHF 8,597

-40.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.5

356.80%

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 Turgi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,702 in Turgi. 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 $139 in Turgi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $628 – 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 Turgi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Turgi is pricier by about 176%, 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 $5,327 in Turgi. 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 $3,551 in Turgi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 269% 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 Turgi at $3,551. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Turgi 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, Turgi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.