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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $776 per month in Tema vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,229 per month in Tema vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,682 per month in Tema vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tema is about 41% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tema and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tema 44% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.06 GHS 80.6

$11.96 MX$203

-40.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.37 GHS 324

$47.38 MX$804

-40.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

Cappuccino

$5.36 GHS 61.2

$4.12 MX$70.0

30.10%

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

$0.91 GHS 10.43

$1.40 MX$23.74

-35.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 GHS 3.28

$0.91 MX$15.48

-68.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 GHS 37.60

$3.21 MX$54.4

2.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 GHS 30.61

$7.07 MX$120

-62.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.29 GHS 37.53

$1.68 MX$28.44

95.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 GHS 18.49

$2.15 MX$36.48

-24.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 GHS 23.70

$1.77 MX$30.10

17.51%

Eggs

$2.46 GHS 28.09

$2.82 MX$47.76

-12.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.32 GHS 49.38

$9.20 MX$156

-53.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 GHS 38.74

$9.23 MX$157

-63.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.64 GHS 41.54

$12.64 MX$214

-71.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 GHS 29.77

$2.95 MX$50.1

-11.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 GHS 25.64

$1.58 MX$26.79

42.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 GHS 25.54

$2.22 MX$37.70

0.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 GHS 40.36

$2.36 MX$40.09

49.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.60 GHS 41.07

$1.99 MX$33.81

80.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 GHS 33.84

$1.98 MX$33.58

49.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 GHS 5.23

$1.24 MX$21.04

-62.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 GHS 8.37

$1.21 MX$20.55

-39.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.34 GHS 15.31

$4.60 MX$78.1

-70.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.05 GHS 103

$10.52 MX$178

-13.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 GHS 24.60

$1.69 MX$28.70

27.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 GHS 34.51

$2.77 MX$47.06

9.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.82 GHS 20.79

$0.60 MX$10.22

203.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.17 GHS 493

$29.70 MX$504

45.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 GHS 24.67

$5.24 MX$88.8

-58.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 GHS 4.91

$3.65 MX$61.9

-88.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 GHS 13.35

$1.54 MX$26.09

-24.03%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

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

$78.6 GHS 897

$90.7 MX$1,538

-13.35%

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

$15.52 GHS 177

$25.19 MX$427

-38.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.3 GHS 963

$31.75 MX$539

165.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.78 GHS 283

$68.8 MX$1,167

-63.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$8.72 GHS 99.5

$4.86 MX$82.5

79.42%

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

$177 GHS 2,022

$226 MX$3,828

-21.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,633 GHS 30.1K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

-37.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.25 GHS 151

$47.38 MX$804

-72.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.17 GHS 185

$43.45 MX$737

-62.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.66 GHS 510

$80.2 MX$1,361

-44.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.62 GHS 384

$91.4 MX$1,550

-63.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$131 GHS 1,493

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-87.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.7 GHS 853

$409 MX$6,933

-81.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 GHS 5,132

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-77.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 GHS 2,496

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-82.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.1K GHS 114.8K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

148.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,994 GHS 68.4K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-10.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$433 GHS 4,947

$773 MX$13.1K

-43.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

205.68%

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

Last update for Tema: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $131 in Tema versus $1,086 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 79% 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 Tema versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $278 – making Tema 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 68%, 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 $1,165 per month in Tema and $1,958 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 Tema, 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 $776 in Tema and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 45% less in Tema. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tema, where all-in costs run around $776, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Tema it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tema – 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 Tema. 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.