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 $815 per month in Temara vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,278 per month in Temara vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,741 per month in Temara vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Temara is about 37% 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 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 MAD 42.85

$11.94 MX$209

-61.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.94 MAD 305

$42.75 MX$748

-22.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.82 MAD 63.1

$10.59 MX$185

-35.60%

Cappuccino

$2.59 MAD 23.94

$3.62 MX$63.4

-28.45%

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

$0.64 MAD 5.96

$1.47 MX$25.69

-56.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 MAD 3.78

$0.94 MX$16.51

-56.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.44 MAD 50.3

$3.09 MX$54.1

76.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 MAD 37.64

$4.46 MX$78.0

-8.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 MAD 8.12

$1.43 MX$24.94

-38.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MAD 5.06

$1.88 MX$32.97

-70.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 MAD 17.11

$1.63 MX$28.50

13.50%

Eggs

$2.00 MAD 18.47

$2.64 MX$46.26

-24.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.56 MAD 116

$8.21 MX$144

52.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.10 MAD 56.4

$8.29 MX$145

-26.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 MAD 102

$11.10 MX$194

-0.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 MAD 13.87

$2.65 MX$46.40

-43.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MAD 12.77

$1.50 MX$26.26

-8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 MAD 7.54

$1.99 MX$34.79

-59.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.83 MAD 7.70

$2.08 MX$36.33

-60.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 MAD 7.28

$1.79 MX$31.29

-55.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 MAD 7.01

$2.18 MX$38.09

-65.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 MAD 3.98

$1.08 MX$18.84

-60.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MAD 5.76

$1.04 MX$18.15

-40.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MAD 38.89

$3.97 MX$69.5

5.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 MAD 73.6

$10.20 MX$179

-22.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MAD 25.30

$1.73 MX$30.22

58.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 MAD 22.70

$2.50 MX$43.71

-2.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MAD 4.86

$0.52 MX$9.07

1.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.92 MAD 157

$26.97 MX$472

-37.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MAD 8.44

$3.14 MX$55.0

-71.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 MAD 7.17

$2.40 MX$42.04

-67.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.48 MAD 41.42

$3.09 MX$54.0

44.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MAD 14.22

$1.27 MX$22.28

21.26%

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

$37.2K MAD 344.0K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

20.42%

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

$29.6K MAD 273.8K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

26.97%

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

$38.69 MAD 358

$82.0 MX$1,435

-52.82%

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

$11.09 MAD 103

$22.45 MX$393

-50.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.94 MAD 379

$29.66 MX$519

38.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.10 MAD 223

$51.9 MX$908

-53.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.59 MAD 51.7

$18.67 MX$327

-70.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.73 MAD 62.2

$4.97 MX$87.0

35.41%

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

$136 MAD 1,256

$198 MX$3,462

-31.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,357 MAD 21.8K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-55.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.55 MAD 394

$36.34 MX$636

17.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.64 MAD 459

$40.05 MX$701

23.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MAD 1,000

$79.9 MX$1,398

35.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 MAD 970

$88.9 MX$1,555

17.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 MAD 3,694

$963 MX$16.9K

-58.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 MAD 1,959

$465 MX$8,133

-54.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$668 MAD 6,182

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-58.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 MAD 3,096

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-72.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,261 MAD 11.7K

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-68.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$915 MAD 8,463

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-85.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$343 MAD 3,176

$720 MX$12.6K

-52.33%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $399 in Temara versus $963 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 110% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $202 vs $251 – 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 58%, 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 $1,222 per month in Temara and $1,930 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 $815 in Temara and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 59% 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 $815, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.