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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,381 per month in Tenterden vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,534 per month in Tenterden vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,687 per month in Tenterden vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tenterden costs about 84% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Tenterden sits 73% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tenterden
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.72 £15.32
$11.71 MX$198
76.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.4 £65.3
$46.59 MX$788
89.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.85 £8.02
$11.65 MX$197
-6.87%
Cappuccino
$4.88 £3.60
$4.09 MX$69.2
19.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 £1.85
$1.37 MX$23.23
83.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 £1.38
$0.83 MX$14.09
125.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.80 £5.03
$3.35 MX$56.7
102.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.27 £4.64
$6.91 MX$117
-9.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tenterden
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 £1.27
$1.73 MX$29.20
-0.58%
White Bread (500g)
$1.67 £1.24
$2.26 MX$38.21
-26.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.29 £1.69
$1.77 MX$29.91
29.38%
Eggs
$4.05 £2.99
$2.73 MX$46.19
48.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.61 £7.11
$9.18 MX$155
4.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.09 £6.72
$8.92 MX$151
1.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.98 £11.08
$12.60 MX$213
18.89%
Apples (1kg)
$3.11 £2.30
$3.02 MX$51.1
2.98%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 £1.21
$1.57 MX$26.55
4.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.76 £2.04
$2.13 MX$35.93
29.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.42 £2.53
$2.26 MX$38.28
51.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.65 £1.22
$2.00 MX$33.88
-17.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.63 £1.20
$2.06 MX$34.90
-20.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 £0.93
$1.18 MX$19.94
5.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 £1.17
$1.20 MX$20.35
32.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$24.01 £17.75
$4.63 MX$78.4
418.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.85 £8.02
$10.69 MX$181
1.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.95 £2.18
$1.62 MX$27.38
82.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 £2.51
$2.88 MX$48.70
18.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Tenterden
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.63 £2.68
$0.57 MX$9.69
536.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$96.6 £71.4
$29.83 MX$504
223.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.07 £3.75
$5.45 MX$92.1
-6.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.01 £1.48
$3.70 MX$62.6
-45.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.30 £17.96
$5.98 MX$101
306.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 £1.47
$1.55 MX$26.26
28.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.0K £28.8K
$22.3K MX$377.4K
74.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.6K £30.7K
$25.9K MX$438.7K
60.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tenterden
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$318 £235
$89.1 MX$1,507
256.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.18 £13.44
$25.04 MX$423
-27.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.55 £32.19
$31.50 MX$532
38.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tenterden
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.27 £35.68
$67.8 MX$1,146
-28.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.92 MX$489
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.99 £10.34
$5.05 MX$85.4
177.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tenterden
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,643 £1,214
$225 MX$3,803
630.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.5K £16.7K
$4,222 MX$71.4K
433.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tenterden
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.0 £68.0
$47.44 MX$802
93.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.19 £34.14
$44.98 MX$760
2.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.4 £73.5
$82.0 MX$1,386
21.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$100 £74.2
$92.1 MX$1,557
8.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tenterden
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,273 £941
$1,069 MX$18.1K
19.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,037 £767
$405 MX$6,852
155.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,124 £1,570
$1,935 MX$32.7K
9.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,696 £1,254
$1,301 MX$22.0K
30.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,334 £3,943
$3,995 MX$67.5K
33.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,340 £3,208
$6,626 MX$112.0K
-34.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tenterden
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$749 MX$12.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.11
11.45
-55.37%

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

Last update for Tenterden: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,273 in Tenterden versus $1,069 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in Tenterden versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $308 vs $277 – making Playa del Carmen 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
Tenterden vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Tenterden?
Yes – Tenterden is pricier by about 84%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,571 per month in Tenterden and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Tenterden and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,381 in Tenterden and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 224% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Tenterden or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Tenterden at $2,381. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tenterden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Tenterden or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Tenterden or Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tenterden makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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