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 $1,227 per month in Tepelene vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,874 per month in Tepelene vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,520 per month in Tepelene vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tepelene is about 6% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tepelene and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tepelene 11% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.16 ALL 803

$11.96 MX$203

-15.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ALL 4,291

$47.38 MX$804

14.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.49 ALL 907

$11.75 MX$199

-2.21%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ALL 195

$4.12 MX$70.0

-40.05%

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

$2.49 ALL 196

$1.40 MX$23.74

77.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ALL 102

$0.91 MX$15.48

41.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 ALL 282

$3.21 MX$54.4

11.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 ALL 320

$7.07 MX$120

-42.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ALL 177

$1.68 MX$28.44

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ALL 101

$2.15 MX$36.48

-40.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 ALL 192

$1.77 MX$30.10

37.85%

Eggs

$3.74 ALL 295

$2.82 MX$47.76

32.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 ALL 1,071

$9.20 MX$156

47.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 ALL 720

$9.23 MX$157

-1.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.65 ALL 1,394

$12.64 MX$214

39.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ALL 152

$2.95 MX$50.1

-34.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 ALL 201

$1.58 MX$26.79

61.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 ALL 172

$2.22 MX$37.70

-1.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 ALL 155

$2.36 MX$40.09

-16.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 ALL 85.1

$1.99 MX$33.81

-45.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ALL 101

$1.98 MX$33.58

-35.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 ALL 118

$1.24 MX$21.04

20.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ALL 65.2

$1.21 MX$20.55

-31.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.00 ALL 395

$4.60 MX$78.1

8.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.38 ALL 899

$10.52 MX$178

8.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ALL 144

$1.69 MX$28.70

7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ALL 161

$2.77 MX$47.06

-26.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 38.27

$0.60 MX$10.22

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.28 ALL 1,602

$29.70 MX$504

-31.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ALL 293

$5.24 MX$88.8

-29.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.84 ALL 304

$3.65 MX$61.9

5.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.08 ALL 1,507

$5.78 MX$98.1

230.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.41 ALL 190

$1.54 MX$26.09

56.49%

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

$34.4K ALL 2.7M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

50.90%

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

$36.0K ALL 2.8M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

39.56%

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

$105 ALL 8,269

$90.7 MX$1,538

15.47%

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

$19.08 ALL 1,507

$25.19 MX$427

-24.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.97 ALL 1,656

$31.75 MX$539

-33.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ALL 4,669

$68.8 MX$1,167

-14.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$10.26 ALL 810

$4.86 MX$82.5

111.11%

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

$355 ALL 28.0K

$226 MX$3,828

57.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,347 ALL 659.3K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

99.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 ALL 4,010

$47.38 MX$804

7.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.35 ALL 3,739

$43.45 MX$737

8.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ALL 9,863

$80.2 MX$1,361

55.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ALL 8,983

$91.4 MX$1,550

24.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ALL 38.1K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-55.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 ALL 26.5K

$409 MX$6,933

-17.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 ALL 56.1K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-63.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ALL 38.4K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-62.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,887 ALL 149.0K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-53.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,250 ALL 98.7K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-81.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$701 ALL 55.3K

$773 MX$13.1K

-9.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.64

11.45

-50.74%

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

Last update for Tepelene: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Tepelene 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 10% 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 $54.0 in Tepelene versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $278 – 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 6%, 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 $1,841 per month in Tepelene 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 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 $1,227 in Tepelene 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 46% 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 $1,227, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.