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 $1,153 per month in Tacarigua vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,001 per month in Tacarigua vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,849 per month in Tacarigua vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tacarigua is about 8% 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 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.48 TTD 70.6

$11.99 MX$210

-12.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.4 TTD 589

$41.78 MX$733

109.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.55 TTD 44.16

$10.75 MX$189

-39.07%

Cappuccino

$3.03 TTD 20.44

$3.50 MX$61.3

-13.43%

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

$1.00 TTD 6.74

$1.45 MX$25.41

-31.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 TTD 4.85

$0.88 MX$15.52

-18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 TTD 7.04

$2.95 MX$51.7

-64.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 TTD 21.50

$4.51 MX$79.1

-29.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 TTD 13.13

$1.43 MX$25.12

36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 TTD 10.78

$1.84 MX$32.23

-13.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 TTD 17.64

$1.57 MX$27.51

66.88%

Eggs

$3.57 TTD 24.04

$2.51 MX$44.06

42.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.74 TTD 25.23

$8.28 MX$145

-54.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 TTD 24.78

$8.43 MX$148

-56.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.18 TTD 95.6

$10.68 MX$187

32.77%

Apples (1kg)

$5.71 TTD 38.50

$2.61 MX$45.76

118.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 TTD 11.15

$1.44 MX$25.22

15.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 TTD 28.38

$1.96 MX$34.41

114.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 TTD 31.33

$2.09 MX$36.74

122.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 TTD 6.72

$1.85 MX$32.47

-45.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 TTD 3.04

$2.17 MX$38.02

-79.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 TTD 9.87

$1.03 MX$18.09

41.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 TTD 9.53

$1.07 MX$18.84

31.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 TTD 38.78

$4.10 MX$72.0

40.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.08 TTD 129

$10.17 MX$178

87.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 TTD 14.40

$1.68 MX$29.38

27.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 TTD 19.07

$2.53 MX$44.31

11.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 TTD 7.12

$0.51 MX$8.93

107.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 TTD 6.75

$3.23 MX$56.7

-69.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 TTD 8.19

$2.41 MX$42.19

-49.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.51 TTD 97.8

$3.23 MX$56.6

349.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.42 TTD 2.86

$1.32 MX$23.17

-68.18%

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

$33.4K TTD 224.9K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

12.34%

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

$32.3K TTD 217.5K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

36.39%

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

$80.3 TTD 541

$82.0 MX$1,439

-2.09%

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

$46.50 TTD 313

$22.95 MX$403

102.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.75 TTD 248

$30.11 MX$528

22.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.8 TTD 342

$52.0 MX$912

-2.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$7.61 TTD 51.3

$4.98 MX$87.3

52.81%

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

$327 TTD 2,205

$197 MX$3,463

65.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,296 TTD 49.2K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

36.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.83 TTD 201

$35.60 MX$624

-16.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.35 TTD 198

$40.33 MX$707

-27.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 TTD 490

$78.8 MX$1,381

-7.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.20 TTD 305

$88.9 MX$1,560

-49.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 TTD 2,498

$474 MX$8,314

-21.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$889 TTD 5,990

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-26.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 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 9%, 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 $1,729 per month in Tacarigua and $1,884 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 $1,153 in Tacarigua and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $327 per month in Tacarigua and $197 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 $1,153, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.