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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,251 per month in Tamuning vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,778 per month in Tamuning vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,305 per month in Tamuning vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tamuning is about 3% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tamuning and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tamuning 9% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.78 $14.78

$11.71 MX$199

26.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.8 $54.8

$46.59 MX$792

17.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.92 $14.92

$11.65 MX$198

28.07%

Cappuccino

$5.53 $5.53

$4.09 MX$69.6

35.21%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$1.37 MX$23.35

124.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.83 MX$14.17

49.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.65 $6.65

$3.35 MX$57.0

98.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$15.17 $15.17

$6.91 MX$117

119.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.44 $3.44

$1.73 MX$29.35

98.84%

White Bread (500g)

$6.60 $6.60

$2.26 MX$38.41

192.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.77 MX$30.07

38.42%

Eggs

$7.14 $7.14

$2.73 MX$46.43

161.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$156

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$152

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$214

Apples (1kg)

$8.18 $8.18

$3.02 MX$51.3

170.86%

Banana (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.57 MX$26.69

91.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$2.13 MX$36.12

123.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.73 $7.73

$2.26 MX$38.48

242.04%

Potato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$2.00 MX$34.05

104.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.06 MX$35.08

39.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$20.05

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.46

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.74 $9.74

$4.63 MX$78.8

110.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.22 $12.22

$10.69 MX$182

14.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.52

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.96

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$19.66 $19.66

$5.45 MX$92.6

260.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$63.0

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$102

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.55 MX$26.40

-14.84%

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

$22.3K MX$379.4K

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.9K MX$441.0K

2.96%

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

$454 $454

$89.1 MX$1,515

409.21%

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

$75.1 $75.1

$25.04 MX$426

199.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$92.1 $92.1

$31.50 MX$535

192.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,152

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.8

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

$396 $396

$225 MX$3,823

76.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$806

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,393

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,565

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 $1,284

$1,069 MX$18.2K

20.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,888

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Tamuning: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,284 in Tamuning versus $1,069 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Tamuning versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $277 – 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,876 per month in Tamuning and $1,940 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 Tamuning, 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 $1,251 in Tamuning and $1,293 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 Tamuning and $225 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 Tamuning, where all-in costs run around $1,251, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Tamuning it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tamuning – 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 Tamuning. 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.