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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,052 per month in Tepic vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,678 per month in Tepic vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,305 per month in Tepic vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tepic is about 17% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tepic and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tepic 22% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.96 MX$138

$11.67 MX$202

-31.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.12 MX$730

$41.88 MX$726

0.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.17 MX$159

$10.40 MX$180

-11.83%

Cappuccino

$3.13 MX$54.2

$3.61 MX$62.6

-13.30%

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

$2.07 MX$35.89

$1.47 MX$25.45

40.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.99

$0.91 MX$15.80

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 MX$44.12

$3.03 MX$52.6

-15.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 MX$71.3

$4.47 MX$77.4

-8.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$26.37

$1.38 MX$23.83

10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 MX$40.30

$1.84 MX$31.93

26.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 MX$18.78

$1.61 MX$27.82

-32.92%

Eggs

$2.01 MX$34.83

$2.57 MX$44.52

-21.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.90 MX$84.9

$8.49 MX$147

-42.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 MX$224

$8.49 MX$147

52.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.70 MX$116

$10.99 MX$190

-39.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 MX$44.72

$2.73 MX$47.25

-5.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.22

$1.50 MX$25.92

4.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.96 MX$33.93

79.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$2.12 MX$36.70

-24.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.02

$1.86 MX$32.30

-0.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.73

$2.17 MX$37.67

-5.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MX$24.96

$1.07 MX$18.59

34.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MX$17.67

$1.05 MX$18.18

-2.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.1

$4.19 MX$72.6

0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.44 MX$198

$10.28 MX$178

11.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 MX$13.31

$1.67 MX$28.87

-53.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.03

$2.49 MX$43.12

-32.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.61

$0.54 MX$9.37

1.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 MX$36.53

$3.10 MX$53.8

-31.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MX$8.88

$2.46 MX$42.66

-79.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.51 MX$182

$3.24 MX$56.1

224.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$22.15

$1.26 MX$21.83

1.59%

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

$18.5K MX$320.3K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-38.73%

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

$18.8K MX$325.4K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

-19.91%

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

$42.49 MX$736

$84.0 MX$1,456

-49.41%

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

$12.00 MX$208

$22.21 MX$385

-45.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.61 MX$444

$29.65 MX$514

-13.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.65 MX$635

$52.6 MX$912

-30.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.81 MX$274

$18.34 MX$318

-13.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.19 MX$72.7

$4.95 MX$85.7

-15.35%

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

$208 MX$3,607

$198 MX$3,438

4.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,460 MX$60.0K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

-34.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.16 MX$731

$35.95 MX$623

17.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.88 MX$275

$40.06 MX$694

-60.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.5 MX$1,135

$78.8 MX$1,365

-16.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.6 MX$1,276

$86.5 MX$1,499

-14.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$514 MX$8,908

$977 MX$16.9K

-47.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 MX$6,890

$471 MX$8,158

-15.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$934 MX$16.2K

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-41.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$749 MX$13.0K

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-38.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,220 MX$38.5K

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-44.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,251 MX$21.7K

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-80.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$696 MX$12.1K

$714 MX$12.4K

-2.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.75

11.42

2.89%

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

Last update for Tepic: April 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $514 in Tepic versus $977 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 3% 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 $42 in Tepic versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $253 in Tepic vs $252 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 20%, 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 $1,578 per month in Tepic and $1,891 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 Tepic, 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 $1,052 in Tepic and $1,261 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $208 per month in Tepic and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tepic, where all-in costs run around $1,052, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Tepic it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tepic – 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 Tepic. 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.