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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,300 per month in Torreon vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,057 per month in Torreon vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,814 per month in Torreon vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Torreon costs about 1% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Torreon and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Torreon 5% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.76 MX$198

$11.71 MX$198

0.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.46 MX$784

$46.59 MX$786

-0.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$180

$11.65 MX$197

-8.58%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$58.2

$4.09 MX$69.1

-15.65%

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

$1.91 MX$32.23

$1.37 MX$23.20

39.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$22.97

$0.83 MX$14.07

63.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 MX$40.44

$3.35 MX$56.6

-28.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$80.0

$6.91 MX$117

-31.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MX$30.42

$1.73 MX$29.15

4.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 MX$54.5

$2.26 MX$38.15

42.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 MX$39.76

$1.77 MX$29.86

33.33%

Eggs

$2.98 MX$50.3

$2.73 MX$46.12

9.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 MX$180

$9.18 MX$155

16.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.78 MX$148

$8.92 MX$151

-1.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.94 MX$218

$12.60 MX$213

2.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 MX$52.0

$3.02 MX$51.0

1.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MX$30.79

$1.57 MX$26.51

15.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 MX$38.95

$2.13 MX$35.88

8.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 MX$46.14

$2.26 MX$38.22

20.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 MX$44.02

$2.00 MX$33.82

30.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 MX$40.40

$2.06 MX$34.85

16.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 MX$25.23

$1.18 MX$19.91

26.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 MX$23.97

$1.20 MX$20.32

18.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$72.6

$4.63 MX$78.2

-7.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.70 MX$198

$10.69 MX$180

9.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 MX$37.24

$1.62 MX$27.33

36.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 MX$72.2

$2.88 MX$48.63

48.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 MX$15.21

$0.57 MX$9.68

57.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.94 MX$607

$29.83 MX$503

20.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 MX$35.64

$5.45 MX$91.9

-61.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MX$16.70

$3.70 MX$62.5

-73.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.55 MX$178

$5.98 MX$101

76.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$1.55 MX$26.22

1.29%

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

$26.5K MX$447.9K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

18.87%

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

$28.3K MX$477.4K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

9.01%

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

$83.1 MX$1,402

$89.1 MX$1,504

-6.78%

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

$42.39 MX$715

$25.04 MX$423

69.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.28 MX$528

$31.50 MX$532

-0.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.8 MX$1,178

$67.8 MX$1,144

2.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.97 MX$405

$28.92 MX$488

-17.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.18 MX$87.4

$5.05 MX$85.2

2.57%

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

$305 MX$5,148

$225 MX$3,797

35.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.8 MX$1,228

$47.44 MX$801

53.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 MX$861

$44.98 MX$759

13.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 MX$1,902

$82.0 MX$1,384

37.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 MX$1,724

$92.1 MX$1,555

10.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 MX$8,122

$1,069 MX$18.0K

-55.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 MX$5,686

$405 MX$6,842

-16.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 MX$13.8K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-57.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 MX$10.8K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-50.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,735 MX$29.3K

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-56.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,383 MX$23.3K

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-79.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$879 MX$14.8K

$749 MX$12.6K

17.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.87

11.45

12.40%

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

Last update for Torreon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Torreon 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 17% higher in Torreon, 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 $46.00 in Torreon versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $314 in Torreon vs $277 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen 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

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

Yes – Torreon is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,950 per month in Torreon 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,300 in Torreon and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 20% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Torreon at $1,300. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Torreon 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, Torreon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.