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 $483 per month in Tartus vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $760 per month in Tartus vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,037 per month in Tartus vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tartus is about 62% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tartus and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tartus 64% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.18 SYP 751

$11.99 MX$210

-48.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.98 SYP 3,400

$41.78 MX$733

-33.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 SYP 670

$10.75 MX$189

-48.74%

Cappuccino

$0.78 SYP 94.8

$3.50 MX$61.3

-77.71%

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

$1.12 SYP 137

$1.45 MX$25.41

-22.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 SYP 83.5

$0.88 MX$15.52

-21.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 SYP 200

$2.95 MX$51.7

-44.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SYP 299

$4.51 MX$79.1

-45.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 SYP 122

$1.43 MX$25.12

-30.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 SYP 76.2

$1.84 MX$32.23

-65.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 SYP 186

$1.57 MX$27.51

-2.55%

Eggs

$1.40 SYP 170

$2.51 MX$44.06

-44.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.10 SYP 377

$8.28 MX$145

-62.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.52 SYP 914

$8.43 MX$148

-10.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.10 SYP 985

$10.68 MX$187

-24.16%

Apples (1kg)

$0.93 SYP 113

$2.61 MX$45.76

-64.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 SYP 149

$1.44 MX$25.22

-15.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 SYP 120

$1.96 MX$34.41

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 SYP 117

$2.09 MX$36.74

-54.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 SYP 75.6

$1.85 MX$32.47

-66.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 SYP 81.4

$2.17 MX$38.02

-69.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 SYP 45.97

$1.03 MX$18.09

-63.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 SYP 74.2

$1.07 MX$18.84

-42.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 SYP 373

$4.10 MX$72.0

-25.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.07 SYP 981

$10.17 MX$178

-20.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 SYP 123

$1.68 MX$29.38

-39.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SYP 215

$2.53 MX$44.31

-30.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 SYP 76.1

$3.23 MX$56.7

-80.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 SYP 155

$2.41 MX$42.19

-46.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 SYP 772

$3.23 MX$56.6

96.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 SYP 142

$1.32 MX$23.17

-11.36%

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

$18.6K SYP 2.3M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-37.48%

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

$21.0K SYP 2.6M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-11.05%

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

$101 SYP 12.2K

$82.0 MX$1,439

22.62%

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

$8.37 SYP 1,017

$22.95 MX$403

-63.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.08 SYP 4,262

$30.11 MX$528

16.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.14 SYP 1,475

$52.0 MX$912

-76.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$3.09 SYP 375

$4.98 MX$87.3

-37.95%

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

$43.00 SYP 5,225

$197 MX$3,463

-78.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,813 SYP 220.3K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-66.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.63 SYP 2,386

$35.60 MX$624

-44.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.73 SYP 3,127

$40.33 MX$707

-36.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.53 SYP 5,532

$78.8 MX$1,381

-42.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.56 SYP 4,807

$88.9 MX$1,560

-55.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$101 SYP 12.2K

$947 MX$16.6K

-89.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$50.2 SYP 6,094

$654 MX$11.5K

-92.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.75

11.42

20.40%

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

Last update for Tartus: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $101 in Tartus 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 1204% 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 $28.00 in Tartus versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $157 vs $249 – 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 160%, 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 $725 per month in Tartus 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 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 $483 in Tartus and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $43.00 per month in Tartus and $197 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 $483, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.