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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $941 in Tuxtla Gutierrez, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,514 in Tuxtla Gutierrez, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,087 in Tuxtla Gutierrez, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 33% 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 6% lower, Tuxtla Gutierrez 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$7.24 MX$127

65.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$731

$18.32 MX$320

128.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$188

$6.88 MX$120

56.25%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.1

$3.58 MX$62.6

-2.23%

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

$1.45 MX$25.33

$1.23 MX$21.43

17.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.47

$1.08 MX$18.88

-18.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.6

$2.62 MX$45.77

12.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.9

$2.96 MX$51.8

52.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.04

$1.31 MX$22.94

9.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.13

$2.34 MX$40.87

-21.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.42

$1.54 MX$27.01

1.95%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.92

$2.35 MX$41.10

6.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$23.81 MX$416

-65.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.92 MX$121

21.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$10.79 MX$189

-1.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.62

$2.57 MX$44.94

1.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.15

$1.15 MX$20.10

25.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.31

$2.78 MX$48.53

-29.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.62

$1.55 MX$27.16

34.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.37

$1.45 MX$25.32

27.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.90

$2.11 MX$36.88

2.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.04

$1.05 MX$18.34

-1.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.78

$0.51 MX$8.93

109.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.7

$3.99 MX$69.8

2.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$11.53 MX$202

-11.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.29

$1.55 MX$27.04

8.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.17

$2.81 MX$49.18

-9.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$0.52 MX$9.05

-1.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$455

$28.99 MX$507

-10.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.5

$2.67 MX$46.69

20.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.06

$2.63 MX$45.96

-8.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.5

$5.20 MX$90.9

-37.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.10

$1.32 MX$23.02

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

$29.7K MX$519.2K

$20.9K MX$365.8K

41.93%

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

$23.7K MX$413.7K

$22.4K MX$392.3K

5.48%

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

$82.0 MX$1,434

$56.9 MX$995

44.13%

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

$22.95 MX$401

$21.59 MX$378

6.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$527

$26.47 MX$463

13.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$909

$49.57 MX$867

4.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$324

$13.04 MX$228

42.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.0

$5.80 MX$101

-14.14%

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

$197 MX$3,452

$206 MX$3,609

-4.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.3K

$2,215 MX$38.7K

140.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$622

$10.54 MX$184

237.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$705

$16.02 MX$280

151.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,377

$53.0 MX$927

48.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$42.29 MX$739

110.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$312 MX$5,457

203.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,288

$228 MX$3,987

107.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.7K

$778 MX$13.6K

111.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$598 MX$10.5K

102.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$511 MX$8,927

28.07%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tuxtla Gutierrez: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $312 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 28% 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 $18.00 in Tuxtla Gutierrez. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $284 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 33%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,412 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $941 in Tuxtla Gutierrez. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 11% 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 $941, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.