Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto de Tierra and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto de Tierra and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,291 per month in Puerto de Tierra vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,059 per month in Puerto de Tierra vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,827 per month in Puerto de Tierra vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Puerto de Tierra is about 1% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Puerto de Tierra and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Puerto de Tierra 6% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.27 $18.27

$11.96 MX$203

52.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.4 $83.4

$47.38 MX$805

76.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 $9.29

$11.75 MX$200

-20.94%

Cappuccino

$3.73 $3.73

$4.12 MX$70.1

-9.47%

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

$1.84 $1.84

$1.40 MX$23.78

31.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 $1.50

$0.91 MX$15.50

64.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 $2.99

$3.21 MX$54.5

-6.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 $5.05

$7.07 MX$120

-28.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.68 MX$28.49

7.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.15 MX$36.53

71.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.77 MX$30.14

36.16%

Eggs

$7.21 $7.21

$2.82 MX$47.83

155.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.43 $12.43

$9.20 MX$156

35.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.70 $9.70

$9.23 MX$157

5.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.43 $13.43

$12.64 MX$215

6.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.99 $4.99

$2.95 MX$50.1

69.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.58 MX$26.83

60.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$2.22 MX$37.76

124.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$2.36 MX$40.15

106.36%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.99 MX$33.86

88.44%

Onion (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$1.98 MX$33.63

105.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.40 $3.40

$1.24 MX$21.07

174.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.21 MX$20.58

37.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.88 $11.88

$4.60 MX$78.2

158.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.65 $15.65

$10.52 MX$179

48.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.69 MX$28.74

76.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.77 MX$47.13

42.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 $2.44

$5.24 MX$89.0

-53.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$3.65 MX$62.0

-60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.32 $42.32

$5.78 MX$98.3

632.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.54 MX$26.13

-27.92%

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

$39.5K $39.5K

$22.8K MX$387.4K

73.03%

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

$28.2K $28.2K

$25.8K MX$438.5K

9.10%

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

$318 $318

$90.7 MX$1,540

250.24%

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

$69.4 $69.4

$25.19 MX$428

175.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.2 $69.2

$31.75 MX$539

118.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,169

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$10.39 $10.39

$4.86 MX$82.6

113.79%

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

$813 $813

$226 MX$3,834

260.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K $12.6K

$4,194 MX$71.2K

199.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 $56.9

$47.38 MX$805

20.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.5 $60.5

$43.45 MX$738

39.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$80.2 MX$1,363

37.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$91.4 MX$1,552

26.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,943

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

11.45

-42.79%

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

Last update for Puerto de Tierra: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Puerto de Tierra versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 vs $278 – 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

Puerto de Tierra vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,937 per month in Puerto de Tierra and $1,958 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,291 in Puerto de Tierra and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Puerto de Tierra and $226 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Puerto de Tierra, where all-in costs run around $1,291, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Puerto de Tierra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puerto de Tierra – 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 Puerto de Tierra. 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.