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 $1,155 per month in Thiva vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,601 per month in Thiva vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,048 per month in Thiva vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Thiva is about 12% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Thiva and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Thiva 16% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 €10.20

$11.96 MX$203

-1.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.2 €56.2

$47.38 MX$804

37.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.16 €6.17

$11.75 MX$199

-39.06%

Cappuccino

$2.57 €2.21

$4.12 MX$70.0

-37.62%

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

$2.41 €2.07

$1.40 MX$23.74

72.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 €0.44

$0.91 MX$15.48

-45.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.74 €4.08

$3.21 MX$54.4

47.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 €2.44

$7.07 MX$120

-59.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.68 MX$28.44

-0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 €1.26

$2.15 MX$36.48

-32.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 €2.07

$1.77 MX$30.10

35.59%

Eggs

$5.15 €4.44

$2.82 MX$47.76

82.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.80 €10.17

$9.20 MX$156

28.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.10 €8.71

$9.23 MX$157

9.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.99 €12.92

$12.64 MX$214

18.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.95 MX$50.1

-42.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 €1.76

$1.58 MX$26.79

29.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 €0.96

$2.22 MX$37.70

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 €1.61

$2.36 MX$40.09

-21.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 €0.86

$1.99 MX$33.81

-50.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 €1.13

$1.98 MX$33.58

-33.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 €0.74

$1.24 MX$21.04

-30.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 €0.62

$1.21 MX$20.55

-40.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.77 €4.11

$4.60 MX$78.1

3.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.90 €5.95

$10.52 MX$178

-34.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.69 MX$28.70

0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.75

$2.77 MX$47.06

-26.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.60 MX$10.22

128.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 €3.30

$5.24 MX$88.8

-26.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$3.65 MX$61.9

-68.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.60 €12.58

$5.78 MX$98.1

152.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 €1.96

$1.54 MX$26.09

47.40%

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

$29.2K €25.2K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

27.96%

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

$24.4K €21.0K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-5.47%

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

$165 €143

$90.7 MX$1,538

82.39%

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

$25.06 €21.60

$25.19 MX$427

-0.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.83 €25.71

$31.75 MX$539

-6.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 €43.25

$68.8 MX$1,167

-27.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.80 €22.24

$29.37 MX$498

-12.16%

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 €7.19

$4.86 MX$82.5

71.60%

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

$349 €301

$226 MX$3,828

54.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,635 €3,996

$4,194 MX$71.1K

10.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 €45.53

$47.38 MX$804

11.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.48 €30.58

$43.45 MX$737

-18.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 €69.8

$80.2 MX$1,361

0.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 €98.0

$91.4 MX$1,550

24.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$346 €298

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-68.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 €250

$409 MX$6,933

-29.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$632 €545

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-67.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,791 €1,544

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-55.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,479 €1,275

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-77.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,198 €1,033

$773 MX$13.1K

54.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.36

11.45

-61.92%

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

Last update for Thiva: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $346 in Thiva 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 55% 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 $65.0 in Thiva versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $271 in Thiva vs $278 in Playa del Carmen – so Thiva 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 13%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,732 per month in Thiva 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 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 $1,155 in Thiva 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 $349 per month in Thiva 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Thiva, where all-in costs run around $1,155, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.