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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $614 per month in Taza vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $979 per month in Taza vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,344 per month in Taza vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Taza is about 53% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Taza and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Taza 54% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 MAD 34.93

$11.73 MX$203

-67.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.12 MAD 176

$41.62 MX$720

-54.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.34 MAD 58.3

$10.64 MX$184

-40.41%

Cappuccino

$1.59 MAD 14.63

$3.52 MX$60.9

-54.83%

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

$0.62 MAD 5.67

$1.51 MX$26.12

-58.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MAD 3.49

$0.97 MX$16.84

-60.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 MAD 50.3

$2.95 MX$51.0

85.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 MAD 38.47

$4.45 MX$77.0

-5.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 MAD 8.04

$1.38 MX$23.93

-36.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 MAD 4.34

$1.89 MX$32.72

-75.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MAD 17.42

$1.64 MX$28.32

15.85%

Eggs

$2.02 MAD 18.55

$2.51 MX$43.34

-19.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 MAD 118

$8.34 MX$144

54.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.12 MAD 56.3

$8.34 MX$144

-26.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.00 MAD 110

$10.73 MX$186

11.84%

Apples (1kg)

$0.81 MAD 7.40

$2.60 MX$45.04

-68.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MAD 13.16

$1.46 MX$25.20

-2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 MAD 7.57

$1.90 MX$32.87

-56.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 MAD 4.92

$2.08 MX$35.91

-74.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.45 MAD 4.14

$1.78 MX$30.71

-74.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 MAD 4.16

$2.19 MX$37.80

-79.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 MAD 3.37

$1.04 MX$17.99

-64.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MAD 5.74

$1.08 MX$18.62

-42.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 MAD 38.93

$4.08 MX$70.6

3.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 MAD 74.1

$10.32 MX$178

-21.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 MAD 22.27

$1.71 MX$29.61

41.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MAD 22.85

$2.58 MX$44.54

-3.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MAD 3.38

$0.51 MX$8.81

-27.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.15 MAD 130

$26.46 MX$458

-46.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 MAD 4.92

$3.26 MX$56.4

-83.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 MAD 6.70

$2.49 MX$43.09

-70.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 MAD 25.67

$3.25 MX$56.2

-14.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MAD 14.14

$1.31 MX$22.61

17.56%

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

$36.7K MAD 337.4K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

21.24%

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

$29.6K MAD 272.1K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

26.39%

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

$34.07 MAD 313

$82.9 MX$1,433

-58.89%

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

$11.17 MAD 103

$22.22 MX$384

-49.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.07 MAD 368

$29.34 MX$507

36.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.63 MAD 153

$51.6 MX$893

-67.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.76 MAD 209

$18.32 MX$317

24.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 MAD 39.39

$5.07 MX$87.6

-15.38%

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

$81.3 MAD 747

$201 MX$3,473

-59.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,584 MAD 60.5K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

26.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.88 MAD 201

$36.92 MX$639

-40.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.67 MAD 236

$39.79 MX$688

-35.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MAD 999

$78.5 MX$1,357

38.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.7 MAD 668

$87.1 MX$1,506

-16.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$110 MAD 1,015

$973 MX$16.8K

-88.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.4 MAD 601

$468 MX$8,090

-86.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$221 MAD 2,032

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-86.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 MAD 1,601

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-85.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,566 MAD 14.4K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-60.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$953 MAD 8,755

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-85.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 MAD 4,811

$664 MX$11.5K

-21.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

11.42

-57.88%

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

Last update for Taza: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $110 in Taza 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.

Salaries run about 27% 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 $19.00 in Taza versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $249 – making Taza 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 111%, 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 $921 per month in Taza and $1,945 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 Taza, 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 $614 in Taza and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 87% less in Taza. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taza, where all-in costs run around $614, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Taza it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taza – 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 Taza. 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.