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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $998 in Tuxtla Gutierrez, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,637 in Tuxtla Gutierrez, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,277 in Tuxtla Gutierrez, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 30% more than Tuxtla Gutierrez, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tuxtla Gutierrez are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Tuxtla Gutierrez 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$199

$7.00 MX$119

67.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$791

$20.79 MX$353

124.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$198

$7.81 MX$133

49.17%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.5

$4.16 MX$70.7

-1.68%

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

$1.37 MX$23.34

$1.49 MX$25.30

-8.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.16

$1.20 MX$20.39

-30.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.9

$2.38 MX$40.47

40.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$2.69 MX$45.61

156.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.33

$1.71 MX$29.04

1.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.39

$2.85 MX$48.39

-20.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.05

$1.82 MX$30.93

-2.75%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.41

$2.82 MX$47.84

-3.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$156

$20.12 MX$342

-54.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$8.60 MX$146

3.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$214

$11.99 MX$204

5.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.3

$2.78 MX$47.28

8.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.68

$1.50 MX$25.45

4.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.10

$2.69 MX$45.77

-20.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.46

$1.78 MX$30.23

26.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.04

$1.87 MX$31.77

6.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.06

$2.19 MX$37.12

-5.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$20.04

$1.21 MX$20.62

-2.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.45

$0.73 MX$12.32

64.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.7

$4.91 MX$83.4

-5.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$182

$11.89 MX$202

-10.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.50

$1.55 MX$26.31

4.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.93

$4.05 MX$68.7

-28.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.74

$0.61 MX$10.39

-6.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

$30.94 MX$525

-3.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.5

$2.85 MX$48.48

91.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.9

$2.92 MX$49.58

26.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$102

$8.90 MX$151

-32.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.38

$1.53 MX$26.00

1.31%

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

$22.3K MX$379.2K

$24.0K MX$407.5K

-6.96%

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

$25.9K MX$440.7K

$27.0K MX$458.1K

-3.80%

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

$89.1 MX$1,514

$26.41 MX$449

237.49%

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

$25.04 MX$425

$21.19 MX$360

18.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$535

$27.58 MX$468

14.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,151

$45.97 MX$781

47.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

$14.80 MX$251

95.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.8

$6.55 MX$111

-22.90%

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

$225 MX$3,820

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.7K

$2,428 MX$41.2K

73.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$806

$36.84 MX$626

28.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$764

$17.95 MX$305

150.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,392

$73.3 MX$1,244

11.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,564

$58.4 MX$991

57.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.2K

$348 MX$5,906

207.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,884

$245 MX$4,167

65.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.9K

$876 MX$14.9K

120.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.1K

$656 MX$11.1K

98.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$544 MX$9,231

37.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Tuxtla Gutierrez: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $348 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 38% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Tuxtla Gutierrez. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $309 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 30%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,497 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $998 in Tuxtla Gutierrez. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $21.00 in Tuxtla Gutierrez. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tuxtla Gutierrez, where all-in costs run around $998, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.