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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Thiva vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,012 per month in Thiva vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,775 per month in Thiva vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Thiva is about 2% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Thiva and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Thiva 7% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.23 €11.47

$11.87 MX$207

11.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 €49.22

$42.90 MX$749

32.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.76 €5.86

$10.65 MX$186

-36.53%

Cappuccino

$2.56 €2.22

$3.45 MX$60.2

-25.80%

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

$1.70 €1.47

$1.50 MX$26.24

13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 €0.46

$0.95 MX$16.56

-43.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.50 €3.90

$3.03 MX$52.8

48.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.53

$4.61 MX$80.4

-36.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.38 MX$24.01

10.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 €1.36

$1.85 MX$32.24

-15.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 €1.91

$1.61 MX$28.11

36.65%

Eggs

$4.00 €3.47

$2.59 MX$45.26

54.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.75 €11.92

$8.26 MX$144

66.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.03 €8.69

$8.37 MX$146

19.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.02 €11.28

$10.66 MX$186

22.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 €1.49

$2.63 MX$45.89

-34.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 €1.63

$1.49 MX$25.96

26.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 €0.94

$1.92 MX$33.50

-43.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 €1.63

$2.09 MX$36.41

-10.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 €0.86

$1.86 MX$32.42

-46.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 €1.11

$2.26 MX$39.47

-43.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 €0.81

$1.06 MX$18.54

-12.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 €0.42

$1.09 MX$18.98

-55.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.80 €4.16

$4.15 MX$72.4

15.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 €5.40

$10.39 MX$181

-40.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.45

$1.72 MX$30.09

-2.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 €1.73

$2.61 MX$45.60

-23.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.35 €1.17

$0.54 MX$9.46

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.07 €39.93

$26.94 MX$470

71.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 €3.21

$3.13 MX$54.6

18.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.80 €11.96

$3.15 MX$55.0

338.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 €1.83

$1.27 MX$22.25

66.14%

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

$30.9K €26.8K

$30.4K MX$530.1K

1.89%

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

$29.2K €25.3K

$23.6K MX$411.3K

23.77%

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

$186 €161

$83.0 MX$1,449

123.90%

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

$23.54 €20.40

$22.71 MX$396

3.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.64 €27.43

$29.46 MX$514

7.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.20 €42.64

$51.0 MX$890

-3.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.53 €22.99

$18.33 MX$320

44.74%

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 €7.23

$4.93 MX$86.0

69.17%

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

$345 €299

$197 MX$3,444

74.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,550 €4,810

$5,280 MX$92.1K

5.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 €45.98

$36.90 MX$644

43.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.41 €29.82

$39.89 MX$696

-13.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 €81.9

$80.0 MX$1,396

18.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.6 €82.9

$89.5 MX$1,561

6.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 €296

$956 MX$16.7K

-64.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 €253

$477 MX$8,327

-38.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$767 €665

$1,646 MX$28.7K

-53.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 €542

$1,225 MX$21.4K

-48.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,812 €1,571

$3,918 MX$68.4K

-53.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,463 €1,268

$6,459 MX$112.7K

-77.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,177 €1,020

$667 MX$11.6K

76.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.34

11.42

-62.00%

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

Last update for Thiva: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $341 in Thiva versus $956 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 76% higher in Thiva, 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 $57.0 in Thiva versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $250 – 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 2%, 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 $1,874 per month in Thiva and $1,906 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 Thiva, 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 $1,250 in Thiva and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 71% less in Thiva. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Thiva, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Thiva it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Thiva – 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 Thiva. 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.