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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $384 per month in Tarhuna vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $578 per month in Tarhuna vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $772 per month in Tarhuna vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tarhuna is about 70% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tarhuna and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tarhuna 71% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tarhuna
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.49 LYD 28.54
$11.73 MX$203
-61.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.08 LYD 115
$41.62 MX$721
-56.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.64 LYD 23.15
$10.64 MX$184
-65.79%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.53 LYD 3.39
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 LYD 4.58
-
-
Cappuccino
$0.49 LYD 3.10
$3.52 MX$61.0
-86.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45 LYD 2.89
$1.51 MX$26.17
-70.20%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.12 LYD 0.75
$0.97 MX$16.87
-87.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.95 MX$51.1
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.45 MX$77.2
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tarhuna
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.02 LYD 6.50
$1.38 MX$23.97
-26.09%
White Bread (500g)
$0.21 LYD 1.33
$1.89 MX$32.78
-88.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 LYD 7.59
$1.64 MX$28.37
-27.44%
Eggs
$1.48 LYD 9.44
$2.51 MX$43.42
-41.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.87 LYD 30.96
$8.34 MX$145
-41.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 LYD 21.02
$8.34 MX$145
-60.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.27 LYD 65.3
$10.73 MX$186
-4.29%
Apples (1kg)
$2.12 LYD 13.45
$2.60 MX$45.12
-18.46%
Banana (1kg)
$1.34 LYD 8.50
$1.46 MX$25.25
-8.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.76 LYD 4.86
$1.90 MX$32.94
-60.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.57 LYD 3.60
$2.08 MX$35.98
-72.60%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 LYD 4.14
$1.78 MX$30.77
-63.48%
Onion (1kg)
$0.52 LYD 3.34
$2.19 MX$37.87
-76.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.42 LYD 2.66
$1.04 MX$18.02
-59.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.20 LYD 1.27
$1.08 MX$18.66
-81.48%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$1.24 LYD 7.89
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 LYD 4.31
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 LYD 4.33
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.86 LYD 11.80
$4.08 MX$70.7
-54.41%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$10.32 MX$179
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.71 MX$29.67
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.58 MX$44.63
-
🚌 Getting Around
Tarhuna
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.51 MX$8.83
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.46 MX$459
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.96 LYD 6.11
$3.26 MX$56.5
-70.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.86 LYD 5.44
$2.49 MX$43.17
-65.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.72 LYD 30.03
$3.25 MX$56.3
45.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.03 LYD 0.20
$1.31 MX$22.65
-97.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$13.9K LYD 88.1K
$30.3K MX$524.7K
-54.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.2K LYD 103.2K
$23.4K MX$406.0K
-30.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tarhuna
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$32.24 LYD 205
$82.9 MX$1,436
-61.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.04 LYD 51.1
$22.22 MX$385
-63.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.74 LYD 145
$29.34 MX$508
-22.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tarhuna
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$51.6 MX$895
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.32 MX$317
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.47 LYD 28.44
$5.07 MX$87.8
-11.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tarhuna
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$53.2 LYD 339
$201 MX$3,480
-73.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$913 LYD 5,805
$5,212 MX$90.3K
-82.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tarhuna
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$21.46 LYD 136
$36.92 MX$640
-41.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.02 LYD 223
$39.79 MX$689
-11.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$50.2 LYD 319
$78.5 MX$1,360
-35.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$55.0 LYD 349
$87.1 MX$1,509
-36.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tarhuna
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$91.8 LYD 584
$973 MX$16.9K
-90.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$63.4 LYD 403
$468 MX$8,105
-86.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,641 MX$28.4K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,221 MX$21.2K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,946 MX$68.4K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,498 MX$112.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tarhuna
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$664 MX$11.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
17.5
11.42
53.24%

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

Last update for Tarhuna: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $91.8 in Tarhuna versus $973 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 $18.00 in Tarhuna versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $117 vs $249 – making Tarhuna 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
Tarhuna vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Tarhuna?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 238%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $576 per month in Tarhuna and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tarhuna, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Tarhuna vs Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $384 in Tarhuna and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $53.2 per month in Tarhuna and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Tarhuna or Playa del Carmen?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tarhuna, where all-in costs run around $384, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Tarhuna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Tarhuna or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Tarhuna – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Tarhuna. 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.

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