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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $986 per month in Tamarin vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,676 per month in Tamarin vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,366 per month in Tamarin vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tamarin is about 23% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tamarin and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tamarin 26% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.48 MUR 303

$11.94 MX$209

-45.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.52 MUR 1,989

$42.75 MX$748

-0.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 MUR 255

$10.59 MX$185

-48.63%

Cappuccino

$2.54 MUR 119

$3.62 MX$63.4

-29.83%

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

$0.92 MUR 43.19

$1.47 MX$25.69

-37.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 MUR 25.79

$0.94 MX$16.51

-41.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 MUR 79.2

$3.09 MX$54.1

-45.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 MUR 84.3

$4.46 MX$78.0

-59.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 MUR 69.8

$1.43 MX$24.94

4.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 MUR 17.13

$1.88 MX$32.97

-80.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MUR 59.0

$1.63 MX$28.50

-22.70%

Eggs

$2.14 MUR 100

$2.64 MX$46.26

-18.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.59 MUR 262

$8.21 MX$144

-31.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.04 MUR 282

$8.29 MX$145

-27.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.06 MUR 471

$11.10 MX$194

-9.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 MUR 93.2

$2.65 MX$46.40

-24.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 MUR 94.7

$1.50 MX$26.26

34.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 MUR 66.9

$1.99 MX$34.79

-28.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.70 MUR 126

$2.08 MX$36.33

29.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 MUR 47.48

$1.79 MX$31.29

-43.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MUR 46.96

$2.18 MX$38.09

-54.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 MUR 37.32

$1.08 MX$18.84

-25.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 MUR 34.77

$1.04 MX$18.15

-28.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.41 MUR 300

$3.97 MX$69.5

61.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 MUR 412

$10.20 MX$179

-13.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MUR 81.6

$1.73 MX$30.22

0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 MUR 79.4

$2.50 MX$43.71

-32.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 MUR 52.2

$0.52 MX$9.07

115.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.13 MUR 521

$26.97 MX$472

-58.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.32 MUR 202

$3.14 MX$55.0

37.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 MUR 123

$2.40 MX$42.04

9.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.73 MUR 315

$3.09 MX$54.0

117.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 MUR 58.6

$1.27 MX$22.28

-1.57%

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

$28.9K MUR 1.4M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-6.56%

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

$27.4K MUR 1.3M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

17.57%

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

$48.56 MUR 2,272

$82.0 MX$1,435

-40.79%

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

$16.37 MUR 766

$22.45 MX$393

-27.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.26 MUR 1,416

$29.66 MX$519

2.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.33 MUR 2,308

$51.9 MX$908

-4.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.95 MUR 512

$18.67 MX$327

-41.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.02 MUR 282

$4.97 MX$87.0

21.13%

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

$150 MUR 7,004

$198 MX$3,462

-24.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,109 MUR 145.5K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-41.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 MUR 2,716

$36.34 MX$636

59.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.77 MUR 2,235

$40.05 MX$701

19.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 MUR 4,061

$79.9 MX$1,398

8.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.1 MUR 2,717

$88.9 MX$1,555

-34.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 MUR 35.3K

$963 MX$16.9K

-21.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 MUR 18.1K

$465 MX$8,133

-16.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 MUR 66.7K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-10.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$921 MUR 43.1K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-23.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$861 MUR 40.3K

$720 MX$12.6K

19.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-47.46%

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

Last update for Tamarin: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $756 in Tamarin versus $963 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.

Salaries run about 20% higher in Tamarin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tamarin versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $251 – making Tamarin 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 30%, 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 $1,480 per month in Tamarin and $1,930 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 Tamarin, 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 $986 in Tamarin and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 142% less in Tamarin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tamarin, where all-in costs run around $986, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Tamarin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tamarin – 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 Tamarin. 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.