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 $773 per month in Temara vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,192 per month in Temara vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,611 per month in Temara vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.22 MAD 39.64

$11.96 MX$203

-64.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.47 MAD 296

$47.38 MX$804

-33.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.54 MAD 61.5

$11.75 MX$199

-44.34%

Cappuccino

$1.90 MAD 17.85

$4.12 MX$70.0

-53.88%

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

$0.64 MAD 6.00

$1.40 MX$23.74

-54.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MAD 3.49

$0.91 MX$15.48

-59.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.19 MAD 48.80

$3.21 MX$54.4

61.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 MAD 30.42

$7.07 MX$120

-54.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 MAD 8.75

$1.68 MX$28.44

-44.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 MAD 7.97

$2.15 MX$36.48

-60.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 MAD 15.24

$1.77 MX$30.10

-8.47%

Eggs

$2.06 MAD 19.37

$2.82 MX$47.76

-26.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.68 MAD 91.0

$9.20 MX$156

5.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.52 MAD 51.9

$9.23 MX$157

-40.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.89 MAD 112

$12.64 MX$214

-5.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 MAD 15.21

$2.95 MX$50.1

-45.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 MAD 13.23

$1.58 MX$26.79

-10.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 MAD 8.54

$2.22 MX$37.70

-59.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 MAD 8.61

$2.36 MX$40.09

-61.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 MAD 6.97

$1.99 MX$33.81

-62.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 MAD 7.97

$1.98 MX$33.58

-57.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 MAD 2.65

$1.24 MX$21.04

-77.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 MAD 5.61

$1.21 MX$20.55

-50.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MAD 39.20

$4.60 MX$78.1

-9.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.70 MAD 72.4

$10.52 MX$178

-26.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 MAD 21.65

$1.69 MX$28.70

36.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 MAD 25.04

$2.77 MX$47.06

-3.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MAD 5.16

$0.60 MX$10.22

-8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.43 MAD 239

$29.70 MX$504

-14.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 MAD 7.60

$5.24 MX$88.8

-84.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 MAD 8.90

$3.65 MX$61.9

-73.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.31 MAD 40.49

$5.78 MX$98.1

-25.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MAD 14.85

$1.54 MX$26.09

2.60%

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

$34.9K MAD 328.2K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

53.16%

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

$31.5K MAD 295.9K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

21.98%

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

$36.22 MAD 340

$90.7 MX$1,538

-60.05%

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

$10.37 MAD 97.4

$25.19 MX$427

-58.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.81 MAD 355

$31.75 MX$539

19.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.32 MAD 229

$68.8 MX$1,167

-64.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.47 MAD 51.4

$29.37 MX$498

-81.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MAD 59.2

$4.86 MX$82.5

29.63%

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

$119 MAD 1,118

$226 MX$3,828

-47.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,071 MAD 66.4K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

68.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.67 MAD 307

$47.38 MX$804

-31.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.97 MAD 432

$43.45 MX$737

5.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 MAD 817

$80.2 MX$1,361

8.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.4 MAD 784

$91.4 MX$1,550

-8.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 MAD 2,467

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-75.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 MAD 1,931

$409 MX$6,933

-49.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 MAD 3,949

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-78.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 MAD 3,012

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-74.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,267 MAD 11.9K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-68.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$975 MAD 9,165

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-85.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$245 MAD 2,298

$773 MX$13.1K

-68.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

11.45

-69.43%

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

Last update for Temara: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $263 in Temara 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 216% 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 $31.00 in Temara versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $194 vs $278 – 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 69%, 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 $1,160 per month in Temara 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 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 $773 in Temara 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 17% 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 $773, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.