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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,119 per month in Tampico vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,753 per month in Tampico vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,387 per month in Tampico vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Both Tampico and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tampico 16% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.50 MX$114

$11.99 MX$210

-45.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.94 MX$753

$41.78 MX$733

2.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 MX$107

$10.75 MX$189

-43.07%

Cappuccino

$3.17 MX$55.7

$3.50 MX$61.3

-9.43%

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

$0.87 MX$15.23

$1.45 MX$25.41

-40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 MX$13.47

$0.88 MX$15.52

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 MX$25.17

$2.95 MX$51.7

-51.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 MX$36.63

$4.51 MX$79.1

-53.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$25.25

$1.43 MX$25.12

0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.96 MX$69.5

$1.84 MX$32.23

115.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.36

$1.57 MX$27.51

-0.64%

Eggs

$4.05 MX$71.0

$2.51 MX$44.06

61.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 MX$79.3

$8.28 MX$145

-45.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.40 MX$147

$8.43 MX$148

-0.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.20 MX$196

$10.68 MX$187

4.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.45

$2.61 MX$45.76

1.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 MX$21.14

$1.44 MX$25.22

-15.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.56

$1.96 MX$34.41

-8.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 MX$27.10

$2.09 MX$36.74

-26.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.98

$1.85 MX$32.47

-4.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.73

$2.17 MX$38.02

-0.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 MX$28.70

$1.03 MX$18.09

59.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.56

$1.07 MX$18.84

-22.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.8

$4.10 MX$72.0

1.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.11 MX$195

$10.17 MX$178

9.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 MX$32.10

$1.68 MX$29.38

8.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.33

$2.53 MX$44.31

1.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MX$13.61

$0.51 MX$8.93

52.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$455

$26.04 MX$457

-0.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 MX$46.01

$3.23 MX$56.7

-18.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.30

$2.41 MX$42.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 MX$86.4

$3.23 MX$56.6

52.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MX$23.27

$1.32 MX$23.17

0.76%

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

$41.7K MX$732.1K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

40.55%

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

$22.4K MX$392.6K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-5.40%

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

$78.8 MX$1,381

$82.0 MX$1,439

-3.96%

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

$25.61 MX$449

$22.95 MX$403

11.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.92 MX$420

$30.11 MX$528

-20.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.79 MX$663

$52.0 MX$912

-27.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.00 MX$281

$18.53 MX$325

-13.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.36 MX$94.0

$4.98 MX$87.3

7.63%

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

$242 MX$4,243

$197 MX$3,463

22.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,565 MX$62.5K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-33.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.8 MX$1,469

$35.60 MX$624

135.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 MX$1,098

$40.33 MX$707

55.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$160 MX$2,806

$78.8 MX$1,381

103.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.4 MX$1,374

$88.9 MX$1,560

-11.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 MX$8,932

$947 MX$16.6K

-46.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MX$5,524

$474 MX$8,314

-33.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 MX$13.9K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-51.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 MX$10.7K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-49.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,968 MX$34.5K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-51.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,150 MX$20.2K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-82.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$585 MX$10.3K

$654 MX$11.5K

-10.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.75

11.42

2.89%

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

Last update for Tampico: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $509 in Tampico versus $947 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 12% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tampico versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 12%, 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 $1,679 per month in Tampico and $1,884 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 Tampico, 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 $1,119 in Tampico and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 0% less in Tampico. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tampico, where all-in costs run around $1,119, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Tampico it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tampico – 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 Tampico. 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.