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 $1,225 per month in Toa Alta vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,940 per month in Toa Alta vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,655 per month in Toa Alta vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Toa Alta is about 3% cheaper 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 10% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.92 $12.92

$11.60 MX$199

11.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.2 $85.2

$47.11 MX$809

80.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 $9.33

$11.88 MX$204

-21.46%

Cappuccino

$3.41 $3.41

$3.98 MX$68.2

-14.32%

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

$1.60 $1.60

$1.43 MX$24.49

11.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.82 MX$14.16

78.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.19 MX$54.7

-7.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 $5.07

$6.79 MX$117

-25.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.68 MX$28.76

32.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.20 MX$37.71

69.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.71 MX$29.32

42.69%

Eggs

$5.14 $5.14

$2.74 MX$47.05

87.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$9.58 MX$164

-46.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.89 $9.89

$9.01 MX$155

9.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.65 $6.65

$12.81 MX$220

-48.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$2.89 MX$49.58

75.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.50 MX$25.70

78.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.15 MX$36.87

126.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$2.26 MX$38.79

107.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$1.98 MX$34.00

88.89%

Onion (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$1.99 MX$34.15

93.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.40 $3.40

$1.23 MX$21.18

176.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.20 MX$20.54

31.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.12 $12.12

$4.55 MX$78.1

166.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 $14.78

$10.37 MX$178

42.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.62 MX$27.79

88.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.88 MX$49.44

42.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$5.39 MX$92.5

-52.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$3.73 MX$64.0

-60.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.81 $42.81

$5.77 MX$99.0

641.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.54 MX$26.37

-27.92%

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

$40.4K $40.4K

$22.5K MX$387.0K

79.16%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$26.1K MX$447.3K

7.51%

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

$323 $323

$91.4 MX$1,569

253.80%

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

$68.1 $68.1

$25.20 MX$433

170.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.6 $68.6

$31.24 MX$536

119.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.20 $28.20

$67.2 MX$1,154

-58.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$10.49 $10.49

$4.86 MX$83.5

115.84%

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

$813 $813

$224 MX$3,839

263.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K $12.5K

$4,229 MX$72.6K

195.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 $56.4

$47.10 MX$808

19.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 $61.6

$44.29 MX$760

38.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$80.1 MX$1,375

38.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$92.7 MX$1,591

20.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

11.45

-42.79%

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

Last update for Toa Alta: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Toa Alta versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $364 vs $276 – 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 – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 3%, 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 $1,838 per month in Toa Alta and $1,899 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 $1,225 in Toa Alta and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Toa Alta and $224 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 Toa Alta, where all-in costs run around $1,225, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Toa Alta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Toa Alta – 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 Toa Alta. 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.