Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Tuxtla Gutierrez Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Tuxtla Gutierrez

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $911 in Tuxtla Gutierrez, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,520 in Tuxtla Gutierrez, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,130 in Tuxtla Gutierrez, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 42% more than Tuxtla Gutierrez, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tuxtla Gutierrez are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Tuxtla Gutierrez 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.05 MX$122

66.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$18.74 MX$324

122.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.98 MX$121

52.44%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.63 MX$62.7

-3.03%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.18 MX$20.38

27.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.05 MX$18.14

-7.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.68 MX$46.40

10.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.99 MX$51.7

48.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.29 MX$22.27

6.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$2.33 MX$40.35

-18.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.61 MX$27.88

1.86%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.34 MX$40.44

7.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$23.92 MX$414

-65.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.93 MX$120

20.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.78 MX$186

-0.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.58 MX$44.57

0.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.14 MX$19.77

28.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.88 MX$49.81

-34.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.60 MX$27.69

30.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.52 MX$26.27

17.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.09 MX$36.12

4.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.05 MX$18.09

-0.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.50 MX$8.72

116.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.04 MX$69.8

0.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$11.61 MX$201

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.59 MX$27.52

7.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.82 MX$48.81

-8.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.55 MX$9.46

-7.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$28.64 MX$495

-7.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.70 MX$46.73

20.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$2.50 MX$43.28

-0.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$5.41 MX$93.5

-39.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.32 MX$22.77

-0.76%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$20.9K MX$361.1K

45.05%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$22.8K MX$394.3K

2.78%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$55.7 MX$963

48.86%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$22.05 MX$381

0.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$25.95 MX$449

13.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$48.43 MX$838

6.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$13.24 MX$229

38.37%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.92 MX$102

-14.36%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$206 MX$3,561

-2.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$2,186 MX$37.8K

138.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$10.69 MX$185

245.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$15.78 MX$273

152.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$53.3 MX$922

47.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$42.98 MX$743

102.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$320 MX$5,542

203.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$229 MX$3,966

103.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$790 MX$13.7K

107.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$594 MX$10.3K

105.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$532 MX$9,202

24.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.5

-0.70%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Tuxtla Gutierrez: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $320 in Tuxtla Gutierrez. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 25% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Tuxtla Gutierrez. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $286 in Tuxtla Gutierrez – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Tuxtla Gutierrez: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 42%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,366 in Tuxtla Gutierrez. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tuxtla Gutierrez, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $911 in Tuxtla Gutierrez. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 8% less in Tuxtla Gutierrez. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tuxtla Gutierrez, where all-in costs run around $911, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Tuxtla Gutierrez it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tuxtla Gutierrez – 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 Tuxtla Gutierrez. 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.