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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $954 per month in Tesanj vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,390 per month in Tesanj vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,825 per month in Tesanj vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tesanj is about 27% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tesanj and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tesanj 31% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 BAM 5.81

$11.96 MX$202

-71.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.42 BAM 27.59

$47.38 MX$800

-65.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.94 BAM 4.93

$11.75 MX$198

-74.98%

Cappuccino

$0.91 BAM 1.53

$4.12 MX$69.6

-77.91%

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

$1.44 BAM 2.42

$1.40 MX$23.63

2.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 BAM 1.44

$0.91 MX$15.40

-5.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 BAM 3.48

$3.21 MX$54.1

-35.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 BAM 3.03

$7.07 MX$119

-74.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 BAM 1.36

$1.68 MX$28.31

-51.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 BAM 1.44

$2.15 MX$36.31

-60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 BAM 3.88

$1.77 MX$29.96

30.51%

Eggs

$3.06 BAM 5.13

$2.82 MX$47.54

8.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.88 BAM 16.60

$9.20 MX$155

7.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.27 BAM 12.22

$9.23 MX$156

-21.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.43 BAM 22.55

$12.64 MX$213

6.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 BAM 2.10

$2.95 MX$49.83

-57.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 BAM 3.04

$1.58 MX$26.66

14.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 BAM 3.10

$2.22 MX$37.53

-16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 BAM 2.93

$2.36 MX$39.90

-26.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 BAM 1.33

$1.99 MX$33.65

-60.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 BAM 1.15

$1.98 MX$33.42

-65.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 BAM 1.59

$1.24 MX$20.94

-23.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 BAM 1.70

$1.21 MX$20.46

-16.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 BAM 6.72

$4.60 MX$77.7

-13.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.02 BAM 13.48

$10.52 MX$178

-23.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 BAM 2.19

$1.69 MX$28.56

-22.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 BAM 3.90

$2.77 MX$46.84

-16.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 BAM 2.20

$0.60 MX$10.17

118.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$502

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 BAM 1.97

$5.24 MX$88.4

-77.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 BAM 0.96

$3.65 MX$61.6

-84.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.75 BAM 18.06

$5.78 MX$97.7

85.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 BAM 2.57

$1.54 MX$25.97

-0.65%

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

$31.6K BAM 53.1K

$22.8K MX$385.0K

38.57%

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

$22.4K BAM 37.6K

$25.8K MX$435.8K

-13.23%

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

$124 BAM 209

$90.7 MX$1,531

36.94%

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

$18.92 BAM 31.78

$25.19 MX$425

-24.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.33 BAM 47.59

$31.75 MX$536

-10.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.48 BAM 57.9

$68.8 MX$1,162

-49.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.09 BAM 50.6

$29.37 MX$496

2.45%

Cinema Ticket

$3.01 BAM 5.05

$4.86 MX$82.1

-38.07%

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

$152 BAM 256

$226 MX$3,811

-32.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,994 BAM 6,709

$4,194 MX$70.8K

-4.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 BAM 195

$47.38 MX$800

145.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.80 BAM 58.5

$43.45 MX$734

-19.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 BAM 164

$80.2 MX$1,355

21.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 BAM 197

$91.4 MX$1,543

28.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$349 BAM 586

$1,086 MX$18.3K

-67.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 BAM 441

$409 MX$6,900

-35.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$528 BAM 888

$1,972 MX$33.3K

-73.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 BAM 638

$1,281 MX$21.6K

-70.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,544 BAM 4,272

$4,046 MX$68.3K

-37.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,825 BAM 3,065

$6,704 MX$113.2K

-72.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$715 BAM 1,201

$773 MX$13.1K

-7.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.3

11.45

-62.45%

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

Last update for Tesanj: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $349 in Tesanj 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 8% 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 $16.00 in Tesanj versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $278 – making Tesanj 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 37%, 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 $1,431 per month in Tesanj 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 Tesanj, 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 $954 in Tesanj and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $152 per month in Tesanj and $226 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tesanj, where all-in costs run around $954, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Tesanj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tesanj – 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 Tesanj. 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.