Cost of Living Comparison Between San Andres Tuxtla and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between San Andres Tuxtla and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,207 per month in San Andres Tuxtla vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,952 per month in San Andres Tuxtla vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,696 per month in San Andres Tuxtla vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Andres Tuxtla is about 7% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both San Andres Tuxtla and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – San Andres Tuxtla 12% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.29 MX$207

$11.71 MX$198

4.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.04 MX$676

$46.59 MX$786

-14.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.06 MX$170

$11.65 MX$197

-13.65%

Cappuccino

$4.17 MX$70.4

$4.09 MX$69.1

1.96%

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

$1.43 MX$24.06

$1.37 MX$23.20

4.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.14

$0.83 MX$14.07

43.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 MX$48.95

$3.35 MX$56.6

-13.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.88 MX$82.4

$6.91 MX$117

-29.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MX$31.02

$1.73 MX$29.15

6.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 MX$47.15

$2.26 MX$38.15

23.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.12

$1.77 MX$29.86

0.56%

Eggs

$2.41 MX$40.60

$2.73 MX$46.12

-11.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 MX$130

$9.18 MX$155

-16.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 MX$167

$8.92 MX$151

10.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.80 MX$199

$12.60 MX$213

-6.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 MX$52.5

$3.02 MX$51.0

2.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MX$31.12

$1.57 MX$26.51

17.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 MX$35.54

$2.13 MX$35.88

-0.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 MX$32.61

$2.26 MX$38.22

-14.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 MX$37.84

$2.00 MX$33.82

12.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 MX$34.25

$2.06 MX$34.85

-1.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$24.64

$1.18 MX$19.91

23.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.04

$1.20 MX$20.32

-10.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.2

Wine (Bottle)

$12.41 MX$209

$10.69 MX$180

16.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 MX$36.70

$1.62 MX$27.33

33.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 MX$63.9

$2.88 MX$48.63

31.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MX$10.95

$0.57 MX$9.68

14.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 MX$50.2

$5.45 MX$91.9

-45.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 MX$30.81

$3.70 MX$62.5

-50.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.40 MX$176

$5.98 MX$101

73.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.09

$1.55 MX$26.22

-7.74%

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

$23.2K MX$392.3K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

4.10%

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

$26.5K MX$447.7K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

2.22%

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

$63.1 MX$1,065

$89.1 MX$1,504

-29.24%

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

$26.50 MX$447

$25.04 MX$423

5.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.74 MX$603

$31.50 MX$532

13.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.69 MX$636

$67.8 MX$1,144

-44.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.61 MX$348

$28.92 MX$488

-28.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$85.6

$5.05 MX$85.2

0.40%

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

$257 MX$4,340

$225 MX$3,797

14.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,312 MX$72.8K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

2.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.6 MX$1,107

$47.44 MX$801

38.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 MX$871

$44.98 MX$759

14.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MX$1,806

$82.0 MX$1,384

30.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.8 MX$1,347

$92.1 MX$1,555

-13.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$643 MX$10.9K

$1,069 MX$18.0K

-39.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 MX$7,636

$405 MX$6,842

11.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 MX$17.1K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-47.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$874 MX$14.8K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-32.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,852 MX$31.3K

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-53.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,344 MX$22.7K

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-79.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

11.45

-1.31%

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

Last update for San Andres Tuxtla: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $643 in San Andres Tuxtla versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $40.00 in San Andres Tuxtla versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $288 in San Andres Tuxtla vs $277 in Playa del Carmen – 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

San Andres Tuxtla vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,811 per month in San Andres Tuxtla and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Andres Tuxtla, 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 $1,207 in San Andres Tuxtla and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $257 per month in San Andres Tuxtla and $225 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 San Andres Tuxtla, where all-in costs run around $1,207, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In San Andres Tuxtla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Andres Tuxtla – 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 San Andres Tuxtla. 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.