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 $561 per month in Taza vs $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $910 per month in Taza vs $2,144 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,258 per month in Taza vs $3,072 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Taza is about 54% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Taza and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Taza 58% lower, Playa del Carmen 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 MAD 37.28

$10.97 MX$198

-66.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.00 MAD 180

$44.85 MX$811

-59.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.13 MAD 61.2

$11.92 MX$216

-48.57%

Cappuccino

$1.58 MAD 15.75

$3.80 MX$68.8

-58.42%

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

$0.55 MAD 5.50

$1.31 MX$23.71

-58.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MAD 3.66

$0.86 MX$15.48

-56.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.33 MAD 53.3

$3.21 MX$58.0

66.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 MAD 31.68

$5.01 MX$90.6

-36.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 MAD 8.57

$1.46 MX$26.36

-41.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 MAD 5.06

$2.33 MX$42.06

-78.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MAD 18.96

$1.44 MX$26.07

31.94%

Eggs

$1.90 MAD 18.93

$2.46 MX$44.50

-22.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.27 MAD 113

$7.70 MX$139

46.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.04 MAD 60.3

$7.89 MX$143

-23.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 MAD 120

$12.80 MX$231

-6.02%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 MAD 6.94

$2.92 MX$52.7

-76.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MAD 13.86

$1.42 MX$25.70

-2.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 MAD 7.43

$2.57 MX$46.37

-71.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 MAD 5.38

$2.14 MX$38.63

-74.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 MAD 4.07

$1.95 MX$35.19

-78.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 MAD 4.34

$1.94 MX$35.00

-77.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 MAD 3.72

$1.15 MX$20.80

-67.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MAD 5.83

$1.22 MX$22.07

-52.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MAD 41.24

$4.38 MX$79.1

-5.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 MAD 76.4

$9.85 MX$178

-22.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 MAD 24.01

$1.54 MX$27.79

55.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 MAD 26.42

$2.72 MX$49.08

-2.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MAD 3.76

$0.52 MX$9.49

-26.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.73 MAD 137

$27.42 MX$496

-49.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 MAD 6.96

$4.91 MX$88.8

-85.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 MAD 6.40

$3.52 MX$63.7

-81.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 MAD 25.43

$5.69 MX$103

-55.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 MAD 13.83

$1.54 MX$27.84

-10.39%

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

$33.5K MAD 334.9K

$21.2K MX$383.9K

57.92%

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

$31.6K MAD 315.7K

$24.5K MX$442.6K

29.10%

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

$33.11 MAD 331

$83.6 MX$1,511

-60.40%

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

$9.55 MAD 95.3

$24.03 MX$434

-60.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.95 MAD 339

$29.33 MX$530

15.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.52 MAD 155

$64.9 MX$1,172

-76.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.18 MAD 212

$29.46 MX$532

-28.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.20 MAD 41.95

$5.09 MX$91.9

-17.49%

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

$77.2 MAD 771

$208 MX$3,754

-62.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,638 MAD 96.2K

$4,045 MX$73.1K

138.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.62 MAD 206

$44.55 MX$805

-53.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.61 MAD 246

$42.06 MX$760

-41.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 MAD 955

$75.5 MX$1,365

26.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.7 MAD 656

$91.4 MX$1,652

-28.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$102 MAD 1,016

$986 MX$17.8K

-89.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$62.7 MAD 626

$385 MX$6,962

-83.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 MAD 2,069

$1,713 MX$31.0K

-87.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 MAD 1,606

$1,108 MX$20.0K

-85.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,182 MAD 11.8K

$4,016 MX$72.6K

-70.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$840 MAD 8,386

$6,247 MX$112.9K

-86.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 MAD 5,018

$758 MX$13.7K

-33.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.52

11.45

-60.52%

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

Last update for Taza: October 4, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $102 in Taza versus $986 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 51% 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 $18.00 in Taza versus $45.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $260 – 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 117%, 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 $841 per month in Taza and $1,823 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 $561 in Taza and $1,215 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 100% 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 $561, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,215. 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.