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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $831 per month in Temara vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,269 per month in Temara vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,706 per month in Temara vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Temara is about 34% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Temara and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Temara 38% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 MAD 44.29

$11.72 MX$204

-59.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.41 MAD 314

$41.89 MX$731

-20.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.51 MAD 61.1

$10.51 MX$183

-38.06%

Cappuccino

$2.47 MAD 23.17

$3.59 MX$62.5

-31.20%

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

$0.68 MAD 6.36

$1.51 MX$26.31

-54.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MAD 3.53

$0.92 MX$15.96

-58.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.53 MAD 51.9

$2.96 MX$51.6

86.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 MAD 39.20

$4.41 MX$76.9

-5.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 MAD 8.12

$1.40 MX$24.35

-37.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MAD 5.15

$1.88 MX$32.87

-70.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MAD 16.59

$1.56 MX$27.19

13.46%

Eggs

$2.03 MAD 19.03

$2.61 MX$45.50

-22.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 MAD 122

$8.32 MX$145

55.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.04 MAD 56.7

$8.35 MX$146

-27.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.41 MAD 107

$10.86 MX$189

5.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 MAD 14.86

$2.71 MX$47.31

-41.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MAD 13.08

$1.51 MX$26.25

-7.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 MAD 7.75

$1.87 MX$32.67

-55.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 MAD 8.30

$2.19 MX$38.19

-59.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 MAD 6.94

$1.86 MX$32.40

-60.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 MAD 7.12

$2.23 MX$38.90

-65.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 MAD 4.03

$1.07 MX$18.63

-59.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MAD 5.56

$1.09 MX$18.94

-45.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 MAD 39.72

$4.19 MX$73.0

0.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 MAD 75.1

$10.43 MX$182

-23.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 MAD 25.29

$1.66 MX$28.91

62.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 MAD 23.12

$2.61 MX$45.56

-5.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MAD 4.93

$0.54 MX$9.45

-1.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.74 MAD 157

$26.16 MX$456

-36.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 MAD 7.92

$3.08 MX$53.7

-72.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 MAD 7.64

$2.40 MX$41.94

-66.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 MAD 42.30

$3.13 MX$54.5

44.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MAD 14.44

$1.31 MX$22.87

17.56%

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

$37.5K MAD 352.3K

$29.8K MX$519.9K

25.97%

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

$29.8K MAD 279.5K

$23.3K MX$406.8K

27.70%

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

$38.53 MAD 362

$81.3 MX$1,418

-52.60%

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

$10.96 MAD 103

$22.56 MX$393

-51.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.42 MAD 370

$30.05 MX$524

31.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.84 MAD 224

$52.9 MX$923

-54.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.33 MAD 50.0

$18.39 MX$321

-71.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.64 MAD 62.3

$4.92 MX$85.8

34.96%

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

$138 MAD 1,293

$201 MX$3,502

-31.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,361 MAD 22.2K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

-54.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.13 MAD 395

$35.92 MX$627

17.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 MAD 471

$40.13 MX$700

25.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MAD 994

$79.7 MX$1,390

32.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 MAD 988

$86.5 MX$1,508

21.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$406 MAD 3,813

$978 MX$17.1K

-58.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 MAD 1,923

$470 MX$8,206

-56.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$688 MAD 6,455

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-58.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 MAD 3,117

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-72.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,239 MAD 11.6K

$3,953 MX$69.0K

-68.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$972 MAD 9,121

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-85.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$244 MAD 2,291

$677 MX$11.8K

-63.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.75

11.42

-58.41%

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

Last update for Temara: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $406 in Temara versus $978 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 177% 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 $33.00 in Temara versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $252 – making Temara 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 52%, 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 $1,247 per month in Temara and $1,890 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 Temara, 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 $831 in Temara and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 56% less in Temara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Temara, where all-in costs run around $831, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Temara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Temara – 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 Temara. 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.