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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $741 per month in Tlaxcala vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,189 per month in Tlaxcala vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,638 per month in Tlaxcala vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tlaxcala is about 41% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tlaxcala and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tlaxcala 45% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.39 MX$93.4

$11.67 MX$202

-53.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.89 MX$362

$41.88 MX$726

-50.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.75 MX$99.6

$10.40 MX$180

-44.71%

Cappuccino

$2.83 MX$49.03

$3.61 MX$62.6

-21.61%

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

$1.27 MX$21.94

$1.47 MX$25.45

-13.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 MX$16.16

$0.91 MX$15.80

2.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 MX$22.53

$3.03 MX$52.6

-57.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 MX$31.20

$4.47 MX$77.4

-59.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MX$28.88

$1.38 MX$23.83

21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 MX$33.58

$1.84 MX$31.93

5.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 MX$24.40

$1.61 MX$27.82

-12.42%

Eggs

$2.15 MX$37.18

$2.57 MX$44.52

-16.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 MX$119

$8.49 MX$147

-19.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.74 MX$99.4

$8.49 MX$147

-32.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 MX$182

$10.99 MX$190

-4.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.64

$2.73 MX$47.25

-18.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 MX$20.19

$1.50 MX$25.92

-22.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 MX$28.88

$1.96 MX$33.93

-14.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 MX$20.29

$2.12 MX$36.70

-44.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MX$15.36

$1.86 MX$32.30

-52.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 MX$18.58

$2.17 MX$37.67

-50.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 MX$14.07

$1.07 MX$18.59

-24.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 MX$19.08

$1.05 MX$18.18

4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$72.0

$4.19 MX$72.6

-0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.03 MX$174

$10.28 MX$178

-2.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 MX$23.66

$1.67 MX$28.87

-17.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$26.72

$2.49 MX$43.12

-38.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 MX$7.48

$0.54 MX$9.37

-20.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 MX$38.25

$3.10 MX$53.8

-28.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 MX$26.91

$2.46 MX$42.66

-36.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.22 MX$142

$3.24 MX$56.1

153.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 MX$20.70

$1.26 MX$21.83

-5.56%

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

$25.4K MX$440.3K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-15.79%

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

$26.1K MX$452.5K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

11.37%

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

$33.34 MX$578

$84.0 MX$1,456

-60.30%

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

$18.70 MX$324

$22.21 MX$385

-15.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.17 MX$575

$29.65 MX$514

11.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.48 MX$545

$52.6 MX$912

-40.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 MX$367

$18.34 MX$318

15.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 MX$80.1

$4.95 MX$85.7

-6.67%

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

$239 MX$4,146

$198 MX$3,438

20.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,536 MX$61.3K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

-33.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.19 MX$523

$35.95 MX$623

-16.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.09 MX$833

$40.06 MX$694

20.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MX$1,911

$78.8 MX$1,365

39.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 MX$1,531

$86.5 MX$1,499

2.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 MX$4,250

$977 MX$16.9K

-74.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 MX$2,691

$471 MX$8,158

-67.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 MX$8,369

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-69.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MX$6,017

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-71.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$690 MX$12.0K

$714 MX$12.4K

-3.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

11.42

-8.06%

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

Last update for Tlaxcala: April 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $245 in Tlaxcala 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 3% 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 $21 in Tlaxcala versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $252 – making Tlaxcala 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 70%, 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 $1,111 per month in Tlaxcala 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 Tlaxcala, 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 $741 in Tlaxcala and $1,261 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $239 per month in Tlaxcala and $198 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 Tlaxcala, where all-in costs run around $741, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Tlaxcala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tlaxcala – 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 Tlaxcala. 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.