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 $624 per month in Tema vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $995 per month in Tema vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,365 per month in Tema vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tema is about 50% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tema and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tema 53% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.19 GHS 83.0

$11.99 MX$210

-40.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.76 GHS 321

$41.78 MX$733

-33.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 GHS 90.3

$10.75 MX$189

-27.26%

Cappuccino

$1.46 GHS 16.84

$3.50 MX$61.3

-58.29%

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

$1.04 GHS 12.05

$1.45 MX$25.41

-28.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 GHS 3.57

$0.88 MX$15.52

-64.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 GHS 20.04

$2.95 MX$51.7

-41.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 GHS 30.81

$4.51 MX$79.1

-40.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.05 GHS 35.25

$1.43 MX$25.12

113.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 GHS 18.66

$1.84 MX$32.23

-11.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 GHS 18.06

$1.57 MX$27.51

-0.64%

Eggs

$2.19 GHS 25.24

$2.51 MX$44.06

-12.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.66 GHS 42.30

$8.28 MX$145

-55.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.64 GHS 30.46

$8.43 MX$148

-68.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.41 GHS 27.83

$10.68 MX$187

-77.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 GHS 32.68

$2.61 MX$45.76

8.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 GHS 23.38

$1.44 MX$25.22

40.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 GHS 24.13

$1.96 MX$34.41

6.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.86 GHS 32.98

$2.09 MX$36.74

36.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 GHS 20.99

$1.85 MX$32.47

-1.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 GHS 22.93

$2.17 MX$38.02

-8.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 GHS 7.39

$1.03 MX$18.09

-37.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 GHS 10.13

$1.07 MX$18.84

-17.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

Wine (Bottle)

$7.04 GHS 81.3

$10.17 MX$178

-30.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 GHS 10.11

$1.68 MX$29.38

-47.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.10 GHS 24.28

$0.51 MX$8.93

311.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.03 GHS 462

$26.04 MX$457

53.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 GHS 15.76

$3.23 MX$56.7

-57.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 GHS 8.76

$2.41 MX$42.19

-68.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 GHS 13.81

$1.32 MX$23.17

-9.09%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

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

$31.32 GHS 362

$82.0 MX$1,439

-61.81%

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

$12.42 GHS 143

$22.95 MX$403

-45.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.6 GHS 746

$30.11 MX$528

114.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.29 GHS 223

$52.0 MX$912

-62.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

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

$83.0 GHS 958

$197 MX$3,463

-57.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.46 GHS 282

$35.60 MX$624

-31.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.21 GHS 280

$40.33 MX$707

-39.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.56 GHS 526

$78.8 MX$1,381

-42.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.8 GHS 714

$88.9 MX$1,560

-30.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 GHS 1,364

$947 MX$16.6K

-87.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.8 GHS 760

$474 MX$8,314

-86.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 GHS 1,575

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-88.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,960 GHS 115.0K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

145.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,047 GHS 69.8K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-6.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$414 GHS 4,777

$654 MX$11.5K

-36.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

32.5

11.42

184.59%

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

Last update for Tema: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $118 in Tema 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 58% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $249 – 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 101%, 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 $937 per month in Tema 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 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 $624 in Tema and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 54% 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 $624, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.