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 $775 per month in Tacarigua vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,306 per month in Tacarigua vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,836 per month in Tacarigua vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tacarigua is about 39% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Tacarigua and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tacarigua 43% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.21 TTD 68.7

$11.60 MX$200

-11.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 TTD 402

$47.11 MX$812

26.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 TTD 53.5

$11.88 MX$205

-33.08%

Cappuccino

$3.77 TTD 25.35

$3.98 MX$68.6

-5.28%

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

$1.00 TTD 6.70

$1.43 MX$24.60

-30.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 TTD 4.85

$0.82 MX$14.22

-12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 TTD 12.72

$3.19 MX$55.0

-40.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 TTD 17.29

$6.79 MX$117

-62.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 TTD 13.37

$1.68 MX$28.89

18.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 TTD 15.07

$2.20 MX$37.88

1.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 TTD 19.49

$1.71 MX$29.45

69.59%

Eggs

$3.78 TTD 25.40

$2.74 MX$47.26

37.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 TTD 45.27

$9.58 MX$165

-29.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.96 TTD 67.0

$9.01 MX$155

10.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.75 TTD 58.9

$12.81 MX$221

-31.69%

Apples (1kg)

$5.35 TTD 35.98

$2.89 MX$49.81

85.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 TTD 16.63

$1.50 MX$25.81

64.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 TTD 25.39

$2.15 MX$37.03

75.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 TTD 29.39

$2.26 MX$38.96

93.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 TTD 5.12

$1.98 MX$34.15

-61.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 TTD 4.74

$1.99 MX$34.30

-64.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 TTD 9.60

$1.23 MX$21.28

16.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 TTD 7.87

$1.20 MX$20.63

-2.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 TTD 38.69

$4.55 MX$78.5

26.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.39 TTD 117

$10.37 MX$179

67.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 TTD 9.93

$1.62 MX$27.91

-8.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 TTD 19.98

$2.88 MX$49.67

3.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 TTD 5.70

$5.39 MX$92.9

-84.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 TTD 5.65

$3.73 MX$64.3

-77.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.61 TTD 98.3

$5.77 MX$99.5

153.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 TTD 7.79

$1.54 MX$26.48

-24.68%

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

$37.2K TTD 250.4K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

65.06%

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

$41.0K TTD 275.7K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

57.25%

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

$44.43 TTD 299

$91.4 MX$1,576

-51.38%

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

$41.99 TTD 283

$25.20 MX$435

66.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.83 TTD 308

$31.24 MX$539

46.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$9.03 TTD 60.8

$4.86 MX$83.8

85.80%

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

$396 TTD 2,664

$224 MX$3,856

77.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K TTD 72.4K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

154.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 TTD 368

$47.10 MX$812

15.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.54 TTD 253

$44.29 MX$764

-15.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 TTD 604

$80.1 MX$1,381

12.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 TTD 601

$92.7 MX$1,598

-3.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

11.45

-49.78%

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

Last update for Tacarigua: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Tacarigua versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $315 vs $276 – 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 63%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,163 per month in Tacarigua and $1,899 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 $775 in Tacarigua and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $396 per month in Tacarigua and $224 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 $775, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.