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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,199 per month in Tapachula vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,948 per month in Tapachula vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,698 per month in Tapachula vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tapachula is about 7% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Tapachula and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tapachula 13% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.65 MX$180

$11.71 MX$198

-9.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.44 MX$733

$46.59 MX$786

-6.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.40 MX$142

$11.65 MX$197

-27.90%

Cappuccino

$3.58 MX$60.4

$4.09 MX$69.1

-12.47%

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

$1.50 MX$25.27

$1.37 MX$23.20

9.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.63

$0.83 MX$14.07

39.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 MX$47.51

$3.35 MX$56.6

-15.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 MX$66.6

$6.91 MX$117

-42.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MX$30.18

$1.73 MX$29.15

3.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 MX$47.63

$2.26 MX$38.15

24.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 MX$30.68

$1.77 MX$29.86

2.82%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$43.98

$2.73 MX$46.12

-4.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.08 MX$153

$9.18 MX$155

-1.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.81 MX$149

$8.92 MX$151

-1.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.52 MX$211

$12.60 MX$213

-0.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 MX$49.64

$3.02 MX$51.0

-2.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 MX$26.95

$1.57 MX$26.51

1.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.15

$2.13 MX$35.88

-10.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.05

$2.26 MX$38.22

-13.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.81

$2.00 MX$33.82

3.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.42

$2.06 MX$34.85

-3.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 MX$27.47

$1.18 MX$19.91

38.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.08

$1.20 MX$20.32

-0.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.80 MX$80.9

$4.63 MX$78.2

3.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.40 MX$176

$10.69 MX$180

-2.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 MX$32.93

$1.62 MX$27.33

20.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 MX$58.5

$2.88 MX$48.63

20.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MX$12.35

$0.57 MX$9.68

28.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 MX$48.85

$5.45 MX$91.9

-46.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 MX$37.87

$3.70 MX$62.5

-39.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.93 MX$201

$5.98 MX$101

99.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 MX$25.30

$1.55 MX$26.22

-3.23%

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

$23.5K MX$396.3K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

5.15%

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

$22.4K MX$377.8K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

-13.73%

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

$71.3 MX$1,203

$89.1 MX$1,504

-20.04%

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

$22.47 MX$379

$25.04 MX$423

-10.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.40 MX$496

$31.50 MX$532

-6.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.49 MX$532

$67.8 MX$1,144

-53.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$311

$28.92 MX$488

-36.20%

Cinema Ticket

$5.98 MX$101

$5.05 MX$85.2

18.42%

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

$227 MX$3,832

$225 MX$3,797

0.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,749 MX$80.2K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

12.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 MX$1,119

$47.44 MX$801

39.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.47 MX$683

$44.98 MX$759

-10.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 MX$1,605

$82.0 MX$1,384

16.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 MX$1,447

$92.1 MX$1,555

-6.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 MX$12.1K

$1,069 MX$18.0K

-32.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 MX$7,617

$405 MX$6,842

11.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,154 MX$19.5K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-40.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$924 MX$15.6K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-28.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,255 MX$38.1K

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-43.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,188 MX$20.1K

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-82.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

11.45

-1.31%

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

Last update for Tapachula: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Tapachula 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 $43.00 in Tapachula versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $283 in Tapachula vs $277 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,798 per month in Tapachula 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 Tapachula, 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 $1,199 in Tapachula 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 $227 per month in Tapachula 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tapachula, where all-in costs run around $1,199, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Tapachula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tapachula – 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 Tapachula. 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.