Cost of Living Comparison Between Toa Alta and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Toa Alta and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Toa Alta vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,958 per month in Toa Alta vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,623 per month in Toa Alta vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Toa Alta costs about 2% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Toa Alta and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Toa Alta 4% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.25 $13.25

$11.87 MX$204

11.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.9 $79.9

$42.90 MX$736

86.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.75 $9.75

$10.65 MX$183

-8.45%

Cappuccino

$3.53 $3.53

$3.45 MX$59.2

2.32%

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

$1.60 $1.60

$1.50 MX$25.81

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.95 MX$16.28

45.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.03 MX$51.9

1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 $4.39

$4.61 MX$79.1

-4.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.38 MX$23.61

74.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.57 $3.57

$1.85 MX$31.70

92.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.61 MX$27.65

35.40%

Eggs

$5.12 $5.12

$2.59 MX$44.51

97.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$8.26 MX$142

-39.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.70 $8.70

$8.37 MX$144

3.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.33 $6.33

$10.66 MX$183

-40.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.83 $5.83

$2.63 MX$45.12

121.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.49 MX$25.53

81.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$1.92 MX$32.94

98.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$2.09 MX$35.81

98.56%

Potato (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$1.86 MX$31.88

116.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.26 MX$38.81

34.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.06 MX$18.23

184.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.09 MX$18.67

77.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.03 $12.03

$4.15 MX$71.2

189.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.77 $14.77

$10.39 MX$178

42.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.72 MX$29.59

47.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.61 MX$44.85

21.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.51 MX$43.09

-38.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.87 $14.87

$3.15 MX$54.1

372.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.27 MX$21.88

-20.47%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

20.79%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

11.23%

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

$401 $401

$83.0 MX$1,425

383.13%

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

$80.3 $80.3

$22.71 MX$390

253.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 $59.7

$29.46 MX$506

102.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.22 $28.22

$51.0 MX$875

-44.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$7.44 $7.44

$4.93 MX$84.5

50.91%

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

$464 $464

$197 MX$3,386

135.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K $10.2K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

93.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.60 $45.60

$36.90 MX$633

23.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.6 $55.6

$39.89 MX$685

39.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 $89.8

$80.0 MX$1,373

12.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$89.5 MX$1,536

16.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,799 $1,799

$1,646 MX$28.3K

9.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.78

11.42

-58.14%

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

Last update for Toa Alta: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Toa Alta versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 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

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

Yes – Toa Alta is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,939 per month in Toa Alta and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,293 in Toa Alta and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $464 per month in Toa Alta and $197 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Toa Alta at $1,293. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toa Alta it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Toa Alta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.