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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $637 per month in Tartus vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $990 per month in Tartus vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,344 per month in Tartus vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tartus is about 50% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tartus and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tartus 53% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.01 SYP 1,217

$11.60 MX$200

-13.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.16 SYP 5,487

$47.11 MX$811

-4.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.95 SYP 844

$11.88 MX$205

-41.50%

Cappuccino

$3.60 SYP 438

$3.98 MX$68.5

-9.55%

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

$2.29 SYP 279

$1.43 MX$24.57

60.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 SYP 98.9

$0.82 MX$14.20

-1.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 SYP 236

$3.19 MX$54.9

-39.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 SYP 359

$6.79 MX$117

-56.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.48 SYP 58.7

$1.68 MX$28.85

-71.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 SYP 50.2

$2.20 MX$37.83

-81.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 SYP 95.3

$1.71 MX$29.41

-54.39%

Eggs

$0.86 SYP 104

$2.74 MX$47.20

-68.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.83 SYP 466

$9.58 MX$165

-60.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 SYP 372

$9.01 MX$155

-65.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 SYP 1,647

$12.81 MX$221

5.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 SYP 125

$2.89 MX$49.74

-64.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 SYP 167

$1.50 MX$25.78

-8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 SYP 132

$2.15 MX$36.98

-49.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.22 SYP 26.60

$2.26 MX$38.91

-90.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.22 SYP 26.60

$1.98 MX$34.10

-88.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.30 SYP 36.32

$1.99 MX$34.26

-84.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 SYP 48.53

$1.23 MX$21.25

-67.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 SYP 74.6

$1.20 MX$20.60

-49.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 SYP 333

$4.55 MX$78.3

-39.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 SYP 732

$10.37 MX$179

-41.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 SYP 134

$1.62 MX$27.88

-32.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 SYP 347

$2.88 MX$49.60

-1.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 SYP 39.34

$0.60 MX$10.34

-46.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 SYP 120

$5.39 MX$92.8

-81.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 SYP 180

$3.73 MX$64.2

-60.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.76 SYP 942

$5.77 MX$99.3

34.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.65 SYP 443

$1.54 MX$26.45

137.01%

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

$15.0K SYP 1.8M

$22.5K MX$388.3K

-33.42%

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

$18.8K SYP 2.3M

$26.1K MX$448.7K

-27.95%

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

$142 SYP 17.2K

$91.4 MX$1,573

54.85%

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

$9.67 SYP 1,175

$25.20 MX$434

-61.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.64 SYP 2,386

$31.24 MX$538

-37.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$5.80 SYP 704

$67.2 MX$1,157

-91.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$5.45 SYP 663

$4.86 MX$83.7

12.14%

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

$9.56 SYP 1,161

$224 MX$3,851

-95.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,801 SYP 218.8K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

-57.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.69 SYP 1,420

$47.10 MX$811

-75.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.82 SYP 4,838

$44.29 MX$763

-10.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.71 SYP 5,554

$80.1 MX$1,379

-42.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.29 SYP 1,857

$92.7 MX$1,596

-83.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$114 SYP 13.9K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-89.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.3 SYP 9,268

$390 MX$6,719

-80.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$233 SYP 28.4K

$2,149 MX$37.0K

-89.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 SYP 13.9K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-91.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$50.7 SYP 6,164

$758 MX$13.1K

-93.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.25

11.45

24.45%

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

Last update for Tartus: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $114 in Tartus versus $1,063 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 1395% 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 $45.00 in Tartus versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $135 vs $276 – making Tartus the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 99%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $956 per month in Tartus and $1,899 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 Tartus, 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 $637 in Tartus and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $9.56 per month in Tartus and $224 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 Tartus, where all-in costs run around $637, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Tartus it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tartus – 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 Tartus. 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.