๐A single person spends $1,826 per month in Tortona vs $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $2,810 per month in Tortona vs $2,158 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $3,795 per month in Tortona vs $3,054 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
๐Tortona costs about 45% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐Tortona sits 36% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below โ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Tortona
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.56โฌ20.05
$11.61MX$201
102.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$93.5โฌ79.5
$42.75MX$742
118.64%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.41โฌ9.71
$10.60MX$184
7.64%
Cappuccino
$2.03โฌ1.73
$3.59MX$62.3
-43.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87โฌ2.44
$1.45MX$25.21
97.93%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35โฌ1.15
$0.90MX$15.58
50.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.66โฌ4.82
$3.03MX$52.6
86.80%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.53โฌ4.71
$4.56MX$79.2
21.27%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Tortona
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.91โฌ1.63
$1.45MX$25.20
31.72%
White Bread(500g)
$2.54โฌ2.16
$1.83MX$31.72
38.80%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.43โฌ2.92
$1.61MX$27.92
113.04%
Eggs
$3.06โฌ2.60
$2.54MX$44.05
20.47%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.51โฌ13.20
$8.54MX$148
81.62%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$13.46โฌ11.46
$8.47MX$147
58.91%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.91โฌ11.83
$10.86MX$189
28.08%
Apples(1kg)
$2.87โฌ2.44
$2.73MX$47.37
5.13%
Banana(1kg)
$1.65โฌ1.40
$1.49MX$25.91
10.74%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.25โฌ2.77
$1.94MX$33.73
67.53%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.83โฌ2.41
$2.16MX$37.57
31.02%
Potato(1kg)
$1.71โฌ1.45
$1.85MX$32.05
-7.57%
Onion(1kg)
$1.79โฌ1.52
$2.19MX$38.00
-18.26%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.29โฌ1.10
$1.07MX$18.62
20.56%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55โฌ0.47
$1.08MX$18.81
-49.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.99โฌ5.95
$4.06MX$70.5
72.17%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.78โฌ4.92
$10.46MX$182
-44.74%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13โฌ1.81
$1.65MX$28.71
29.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75โฌ2.34
$2.55MX$44.23
7.84%
๐ Getting Around
Tortona
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.73โฌ1.47
$0.56MX$9.65
208.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$43.93โฌ37.38
$26.20MX$455
67.67%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$11.47โฌ9.76
$3.14MX$54.5
265.29%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.10โฌ1.78
$2.37MX$41.17
-11.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$58.1โฌ49.47
$3.24MX$56.2
1694.14%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.01โฌ1.71
$1.31MX$22.81
53.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2Kโฌ24.0K
$30.5KMX$530.2K
-7.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.2Kโฌ27.4K
$23.8KMX$413.6K
35.20%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tortona
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$242โฌ206
$83.1MX$1,443
191.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.57โฌ13.25
$22.15MX$385
-29.71%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.71โฌ25.28
$29.37MX$510
1.16%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Tortona
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$55.3โฌ47.05
$51.2MX$889
8.01%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.88โฌ19.47
$18.69MX$324
22.42%
Cinema Ticket
$12.29โฌ10.46
$4.89MX$84.9
151.33%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Tortona
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$546โฌ464
$199MX$3,449
174.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,161โฌ6,945
$5,207MX$90.4K
56.73%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Tortona
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.8โฌ78.1
$35.93MX$624
155.47%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.06โฌ32.39
$39.39MX$684
-3.38%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$106โฌ90.5
$80.3MX$1,394
32.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$139โฌ118
$87.6MX$1,520
58.35%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Tortona
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$741โฌ630
$963MX$16.7K
-23.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$581โฌ494
$482MX$8,370
20.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,228โฌ1,045
$1,645MX$28.6K
-25.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$942โฌ802
$1,192MX$20.7K
-20.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,043โฌ2,590
$3,957MX$68.7K
-23.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,227โฌ1,895
$6,513MX$113.1K
-65.81%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Tortona
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$726MX$12.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.68
11.42
-59.02%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Tortona: April 12, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A central one-bedroom costs $741 in Tortona versus $963 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.
๐A mid-range dinner for two costs $93 in Tortona versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $326 vs $253 โ 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
Tortona vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Tortona?
Yes โ Tortona is pricier by about 45%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,739 per month in Tortona and $1,894 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Tortona vs Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,826 in Tortona and $1,262 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category โ it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 68% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Tortona or Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,262, than in Tortona at $1,826. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tortona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Tortona or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen โ lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tortona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.