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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,215 per month in Tepelene vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,839 per month in Tepelene vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,462 per month in Tepelene vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tepelene is about 3% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tepelene and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tepelene 9% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.56 ALL 942

$11.99 MX$210

-3.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 ALL 4,839

$41.78 MX$733

42.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 ALL 758

$10.75 MX$189

-13.58%

Cappuccino

$2.04 ALL 167

$3.50 MX$61.3

-41.71%

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

$1.84 ALL 150

$1.45 MX$25.41

26.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 ALL 81.3

$0.88 MX$15.52

13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 ALL 234

$2.95 MX$51.7

-3.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 ALL 333

$4.51 MX$79.1

-9.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 ALL 173

$1.43 MX$25.12

48.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 ALL 88.0

$1.84 MX$32.23

-41.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ALL 182

$1.57 MX$27.51

42.04%

Eggs

$3.95 ALL 322

$2.51 MX$44.06

57.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.02 ALL 1,061

$8.28 MX$145

57.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.82 ALL 638

$8.43 MX$148

-7.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.56 ALL 1,269

$10.68 MX$187

45.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 ALL 144

$2.61 MX$45.76

-32.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 ALL 226

$1.44 MX$25.22

92.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 ALL 167

$1.96 MX$34.41

4.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 ALL 157

$2.09 MX$36.74

-8.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 ALL 107

$1.85 MX$32.47

-29.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ALL 107

$2.17 MX$38.02

-39.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 ALL 123

$1.03 MX$18.09

46.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ALL 63.6

$1.07 MX$18.84

-27.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ALL 342

$4.10 MX$72.0

2.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 ALL 853

$10.17 MX$178

2.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ALL 130

$1.68 MX$29.38

-5.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ALL 174

$2.53 MX$44.31

-15.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 ALL 37.10

$0.51 MX$8.93

-11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.91 ALL 1,542

$26.04 MX$457

-27.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ALL 284

$3.23 MX$56.7

7.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.18 ALL 259

$2.41 MX$42.19

31.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.92 ALL 1,461

$3.23 MX$56.6

454.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 ALL 167

$1.32 MX$23.17

55.30%

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

$39.7K ALL 3.2M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

33.53%

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

$35.4K ALL 2.9M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

49.75%

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

$106 ALL 8,680

$82.0 MX$1,439

29.78%

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

$18.19 ALL 1,484

$22.95 MX$403

-20.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.67 ALL 1,522

$30.11 MX$528

-37.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 ALL 4,481

$52.0 MX$912

5.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.34 ALL 2,066

$18.53 MX$325

36.75%

Cinema Ticket

$9.32 ALL 760

$4.98 MX$87.3

87.15%

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

$161 ALL 13.1K

$197 MX$3,463

-18.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,601 ALL 456.7K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

4.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 ALL 4,963

$35.60 MX$624

70.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 ALL 4,149

$40.33 MX$707

26.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ALL 8,615

$78.8 MX$1,381

34.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 ALL 10.3K

$88.9 MX$1,560

42.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ALL 37.1K

$947 MX$16.6K

-52.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 ALL 27.8K

$474 MX$8,314

-28.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 ALL 50.6K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-62.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 ALL 35.7K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-63.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,819 ALL 148.4K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-55.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,239 ALL 101.0K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-80.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 ALL 53.7K

$654 MX$11.5K

0.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.52

11.42

-51.66%

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

Last update for Tepelene: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Tepelene versus $947 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 1% higher in Tepelene, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Tepelene versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $280 vs $249 – 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,823 per month in Tepelene and $1,884 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 Tepelene, 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 $1,215 in Tepelene and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 38% less in Tepelene. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tepelene, where all-in costs run around $1,215, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Tepelene it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tepelene – 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 Tepelene. 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.