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 $1,297 per month in Toa Alta vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,960 per month in Toa Alta vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,622 per month in Toa Alta vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Toa Alta costs about 3% 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 3% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.24 $13.24

$11.72 MX$203

12.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.5 $82.5

$41.89 MX$726

97.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 $9.42

$10.51 MX$182

-10.37%

Cappuccino

$3.57 $3.57

$3.59 MX$62.1

-0.56%

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

$1.56 $1.56

$1.51 MX$26.13

3.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.92 MX$15.86

51.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.96 MX$51.2

-1.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 $4.44

$4.41 MX$76.4

0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.40 MX$24.19

71.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.88 MX$32.65

86.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.56 MX$27.01

39.74%

Eggs

$5.25 $5.25

$2.61 MX$45.20

101.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$8.32 MX$144

-39.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.64 $8.64

$8.35 MX$145

3.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$10.86 MX$188

-39.41%

Apples (1kg)

$5.87 $5.87

$2.71 MX$47.00

116.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.51 MX$26.08

73.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$1.87 MX$32.46

104.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$2.19 MX$37.94

89.95%

Potato (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$1.86 MX$32.18

112.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.23 MX$38.64

31.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.07 MX$18.51

176.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.09 MX$18.82

74.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.79 $11.79

$4.19 MX$72.5

181.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.14 $15.14

$10.43 MX$181

45.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.66 MX$28.72

54.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.61 MX$45.26

25.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.39

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.40 MX$41.66

-36.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.04 $15.04

$3.13 MX$54.2

380.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.31 MX$22.72

-24.43%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$29.8K MX$516.4K

22.99%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$23.3K MX$404.1K

15.66%

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

$404 $404

$81.3 MX$1,408

396.94%

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

$78.1 $78.1

$22.56 MX$391

246.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.3 $59.3

$30.05 MX$521

97.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.30 $28.30

$52.9 MX$917

-46.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

Cinema Ticket

$7.34 $7.34

$4.92 MX$85.2

49.19%

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

$464 $464

$201 MX$3,479

131.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K $10.3K

$5,175 MX$89.7K

99.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.42 $46.42

$35.92 MX$622

29.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.5 $56.5

$40.13 MX$695

40.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 $92.1

$79.7 MX$1,381

15.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$86.5 MX$1,498

21.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,152

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 $1,802

$1,651 MX$28.6K

9.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Toa Alta versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 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

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

Yes – Toa Alta 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 $1,945 per month in Toa Alta and $1,890 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 $1,297 in Toa Alta and $1,260 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 $201 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 $1,260, than in Toa Alta at $1,297. 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.