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 $1,220 per month in Thiva vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,957 per month in Thiva vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,695 per month in Thiva vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Thiva is about 3% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Thiva and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Thiva 9% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.50 €11.52

$11.67 MX$202

15.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.4 €48.96

$41.88 MX$726

37.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 €6.04

$10.40 MX$180

-31.92%

Cappuccino

$2.55 €2.18

$3.61 MX$62.6

-29.36%

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

$1.68 €1.43

$1.47 MX$25.45

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 €0.43

$0.91 MX$15.80

-45.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.77 €4.07

$3.03 MX$52.6

57.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 €2.40

$4.47 MX$77.4

-37.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 €1.32

$1.38 MX$23.83

11.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 €1.34

$1.84 MX$31.93

-14.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 €1.80

$1.61 MX$27.82

31.06%

Eggs

$4.22 €3.60

$2.57 MX$44.52

64.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.56 €11.57

$8.49 MX$147

59.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.80 €8.36

$8.49 MX$147

15.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 €11.15

$10.99 MX$190

19.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 €1.51

$2.73 MX$47.25

-35.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 €1.61

$1.50 MX$25.92

26.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 €0.96

$1.96 MX$33.93

-42.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 €1.59

$2.12 MX$36.70

-11.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 €0.84

$1.86 MX$32.30

-47.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 €1.05

$2.17 MX$37.67

-43.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 €0.81

$1.07 MX$18.59

-12.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 €0.38

$1.05 MX$18.18

-57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.99 €4.26

$4.19 MX$72.6

19.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.63 €5.65

$10.28 MX$178

-35.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.43

$1.67 MX$28.87

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.66

$2.49 MX$43.12

-21.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 €1.20

$0.54 MX$9.37

161.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.18 €40.25

$26.27 MX$455

79.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 €3.17

$3.10 MX$53.8

20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.75 €11.73

$3.24 MX$56.1

324.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 €1.83

$1.26 MX$21.83

70.63%

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

$31.2K €26.6K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

3.33%

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

$29.8K €25.4K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

26.95%

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

$187 €160

$84.0 MX$1,456

123.13%

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

$23.82 €20.32

$22.21 MX$385

7.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.43 €26.81

$29.65 MX$514

6.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.74 €42.43

$52.6 MX$912

-5.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.88 €22.08

$18.34 MX$318

41.11%

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 €6.72

$4.95 MX$85.7

59.19%

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

$348 €297

$198 MX$3,438

75.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,528 €4,715

$5,322 MX$92.2K

3.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 €44.22

$35.95 MX$623

44.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.00 €29.85

$40.06 MX$694

-12.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 €80.6

$78.8 MX$1,365

19.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 €80.8

$86.5 MX$1,499

9.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 €301

$977 MX$16.9K

-63.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 €248

$471 MX$8,158

-38.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$766 €653

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-52.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 €534

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-48.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,839 €1,568

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-54.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,485 €1,267

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-77.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,006 €858

$714 MX$12.4K

40.86%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $353 in Thiva 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 41% 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 in Thiva versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 vs $252 – 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 3%, 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 $1,830 per month in Thiva 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 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 $1,220 in Thiva and $1,261 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 80% 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 $1,220, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. 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.