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 $818 per month in Temara vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,274 per month in Temara vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,730 per month in Temara vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Temara is about 36% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Temara and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Temara 39% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.57 MAD 42.25

$11.87 MX$204

-61.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.33 MAD 299

$42.90 MX$736

-24.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.56 MAD 60.7

$10.65 MX$183

-38.40%

Cappuccino

$2.51 MAD 23.19

$3.45 MX$59.2

-27.25%

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

$0.64 MAD 5.92

$1.50 MX$25.81

-57.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MAD 3.43

$0.95 MX$16.28

-61.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.37 MAD 49.65

$3.03 MX$51.9

77.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 MAD 37.15

$4.61 MX$79.1

-12.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 MAD 7.98

$1.38 MX$23.61

-37.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 MAD 5.04

$1.85 MX$31.70

-70.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MAD 16.19

$1.61 MX$27.65

8.70%

Eggs

$2.09 MAD 19.34

$2.59 MX$44.51

-19.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 MAD 119

$8.26 MX$142

55.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 MAD 55.7

$8.37 MX$144

-28.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.04 MAD 102

$10.66 MX$183

3.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 MAD 13.97

$2.63 MX$45.12

-42.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MAD 12.74

$1.49 MX$25.53

-7.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 MAD 7.62

$1.92 MX$32.94

-57.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 MAD 8.23

$2.09 MX$35.81

-57.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 MAD 6.89

$1.86 MX$31.88

-60.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 MAD 6.82

$2.26 MX$38.81

-67.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.61

$1.06 MX$18.23

-63.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MAD 5.91

$1.09 MX$18.67

-41.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 MAD 39.55

$4.15 MX$71.2

3.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 MAD 73.8

$10.39 MX$178

-23.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MAD 25.34

$1.72 MX$29.59

59.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 MAD 22.83

$2.61 MX$44.85

-5.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MAD 5.29

$0.54 MX$9.30

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.68 MAD 154

$26.94 MX$462

-38.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MAD 8.39

$3.13 MX$53.7

-70.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 MAD 7.24

$2.51 MX$43.09

-68.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 MAD 39.59

$3.15 MX$54.1

35.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MAD 14.01

$1.27 MX$21.88

18.90%

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

$36.7K MAD 339.4K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

20.79%

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

$30.0K MAD 277.4K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

27.24%

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

$38.51 MAD 356

$83.0 MX$1,425

-53.60%

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

$10.68 MAD 98.8

$22.71 MX$390

-52.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.36 MAD 364

$29.46 MX$506

33.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.62 MAD 219

$51.0 MX$875

-53.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.51 MAD 51.0

$18.33 MX$315

-69.94%

Cinema Ticket

$6.48 MAD 59.9

$4.93 MX$84.5

31.44%

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

$134 MAD 1,242

$197 MX$3,386

-31.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,339 MAD 21.6K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-55.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.41 MAD 402

$36.90 MX$633

17.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.40 MAD 457

$39.89 MX$685

23.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MAD 991

$80.0 MX$1,373

33.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 MAD 954

$89.5 MX$1,536

15.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$404 MAD 3,740

$956 MX$16.4K

-57.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 MAD 1,956

$477 MX$8,189

-55.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 MAD 6,336

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-58.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 MAD 3,098

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-72.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,238 MAD 11.5K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-68.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$917 MAD 8,487

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-85.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$243 MAD 2,250

$667 MX$11.4K

-63.53%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $404 in Temara versus $956 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 174% 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 $32.00 in Temara versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $202 vs $250 – 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 55%, 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 $1,227 per month in Temara and $1,906 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 $818 in Temara and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 62% 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 $818, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.