Cost of Living Comparison Between Tlajomulco de Zúñiga and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Tlajomulco de Zúñiga and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,983 per month in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,743 per month in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tlajomulco de Zúñiga is about 5% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Tlajomulco de Zúñiga and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tlajomulco de Zúñiga 11% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.48 MX$244

$11.71 MX$198

23.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 MX$855

$46.59 MX$786

8.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.94 MX$168

$11.65 MX$197

-14.68%

Cappuccino

$3.49 MX$58.8

$4.09 MX$69.1

-14.67%

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

$1.81 MX$30.57

$1.37 MX$23.20

32.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$21.41

$0.83 MX$14.07

53.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 MX$39.11

$3.35 MX$56.6

-30.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 MX$90.0

$6.91 MX$117

-22.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.22

$1.73 MX$29.15

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 MX$46.08

$2.26 MX$38.15

20.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$27.65

$1.77 MX$29.86

-7.34%

Eggs

$2.67 MX$44.98

$2.73 MX$46.12

-2.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.36 MX$175

$9.18 MX$155

12.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.77 MX$148

$8.92 MX$151

-1.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.04 MX$186

$12.60 MX$213

-12.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 MX$44.17

$3.02 MX$51.0

-13.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 MX$28.22

$1.57 MX$26.51

6.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.06

$2.13 MX$35.88

-30.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MX$24.59

$2.26 MX$38.22

-35.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.02

$2.00 MX$33.82

-14.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MX$20.20

$2.06 MX$34.85

-41.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 MX$25.90

$1.18 MX$19.91

29.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.11

$1.20 MX$20.32

-5.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.83 MX$81.6

$4.63 MX$78.2

4.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.38 MX$175

$10.69 MX$180

-2.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$28.88

$1.62 MX$27.33

5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 MX$60.1

$2.88 MX$48.63

23.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MX$12.37

$0.57 MX$9.68

28.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 MX$40.19

$5.45 MX$91.9

-56.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 MX$24.64

$3.70 MX$62.5

-60.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.78 MX$216

$5.98 MX$101

113.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$24.59

$1.55 MX$26.22

-5.81%

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

$23.1K MX$389.3K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

3.32%

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

$25.6K MX$432.8K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

-1.18%

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

$52.8 MX$892

$89.1 MX$1,504

-40.72%

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

$23.93 MX$404

$25.04 MX$423

-4.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.48 MX$396

$31.50 MX$532

-25.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.84 MX$622

$67.8 MX$1,144

-45.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.27 MX$410

$28.92 MX$488

-16.08%

Cinema Ticket

$3.47 MX$58.6

$5.05 MX$85.2

-31.29%

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

$277 MX$4,681

$225 MX$3,797

23.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K MX$192.7K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

170.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 MX$1,053

$47.44 MX$801

31.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$747

$44.98 MX$759

-1.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,944

$82.0 MX$1,384

40.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,500

$92.1 MX$1,555

-3.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$660 MX$11.1K

$1,069 MX$18.0K

-38.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 MX$7,150

$405 MX$6,842

4.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 MX$18.8K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-42.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$823 MX$13.9K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-36.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,228 MX$37.6K

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-44.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,161 MX$19.6K

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-82.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.4K

$749 MX$12.6K

-10.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

11.45

-53.54%

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

Last update for Tlajomulco de Zúñiga: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $660 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga versus $1,069 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 11% 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 $51.0 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $270 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga vs $277 in Playa del Carmen – so Tlajomulco de Zúñiga 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

Tlajomulco de Zúñiga vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 6%, 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 $1,835 per month in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga and $1,940 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 Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, 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 $1,223 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $277 per month in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga and $225 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 Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, where all-in costs run around $1,223, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Tlajomulco de Zúñiga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tlajomulco de Zúñiga – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Tlajomulco de Zúñiga. 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.