Cost of Living Comparison Between Tacarigua and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Tacarigua and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,151 per month in Tacarigua vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,019 per month in Tacarigua vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,886 per month in Tacarigua vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tacarigua is about 11% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tacarigua and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tacarigua 14% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.38 TTD 69.5

$11.73 MX$203

-11.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.0 TTD 603

$41.62 MX$720

116.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.56 TTD 43.98

$10.64 MX$184

-38.35%

Cappuccino

$2.88 TTD 19.28

$3.52 MX$60.9

-18.18%

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

$1.01 TTD 6.79

$1.51 MX$26.12

-33.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 TTD 4.75

$0.97 MX$16.84

-26.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 TTD 6.71

$2.95 MX$51.0

-66.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 TTD 20.28

$4.45 MX$77.0

-31.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 TTD 12.55

$1.38 MX$23.93

35.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 TTD 10.80

$1.89 MX$32.72

-14.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 TTD 17.92

$1.64 MX$28.32

62.80%

Eggs

$3.58 TTD 24.01

$2.51 MX$43.34

42.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.76 TTD 25.22

$8.34 MX$144

-54.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 TTD 25.03

$8.34 MX$144

-55.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 TTD 95.5

$10.73 MX$186

32.81%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 TTD 38.92

$2.60 MX$45.04

123.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 TTD 10.78

$1.46 MX$25.20

10.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 TTD 29.39

$1.90 MX$32.87

131.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 TTD 31.99

$2.08 MX$35.91

129.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 TTD 6.24

$1.78 MX$30.71

-47.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 TTD 3.09

$2.19 MX$37.80

-79.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 TTD 10.15

$1.04 MX$17.99

45.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.39

$1.08 MX$18.62

29.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.79 TTD 38.80

$4.08 MX$70.6

41.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 TTD 123

$10.32 MX$178

78.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 TTD 14.28

$1.71 MX$29.61

24.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 TTD 18.87

$2.58 MX$44.54

9.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 TTD 6.73

$0.51 MX$8.81

96.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.77

$3.26 MX$56.4

-69.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 TTD 8.30

$2.49 MX$43.09

-50.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.72 TTD 98.6

$3.25 MX$56.2

352.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 TTD 3.08

$1.31 MX$22.61

-64.89%

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

$33.9K TTD 227.3K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

12.06%

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

$32.1K TTD 215.3K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

37.18%

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

$80.1 TTD 537

$82.9 MX$1,433

-3.31%

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

$47.20 TTD 316

$22.22 MX$384

112.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.74 TTD 246

$29.34 MX$507

25.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 TTD 353

$51.6 MX$893

2.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$7.30 TTD 48.93

$5.07 MX$87.6

43.98%

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

$325 TTD 2,174

$201 MX$3,473

61.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,108 TTD 47.6K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

36.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.05 TTD 201

$36.92 MX$639

-18.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.81 TTD 200

$39.79 MX$688

-25.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 TTD 499

$78.5 MX$1,357

-5.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.75 TTD 300

$87.1 MX$1,506

-48.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 TTD 2,461

$468 MX$8,090

-21.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$889 TTD 5,955

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-27.19%

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

11.42

-52.89%

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

Last update for Tacarigua: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Tacarigua versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $249 – 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

Tacarigua vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 13%, 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 $1,727 per month in Tacarigua and $1,945 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 $1,151 in Tacarigua and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $325 per month in Tacarigua and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tacarigua, where all-in costs run around $1,151, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Tacarigua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tacarigua – 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 Tacarigua. 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.