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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,826 per month in Tortona vs $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,810 per month in Tortona vs $2,158 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,795 per month in Tortona vs $3,054 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tortona costs about 45% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Tortona sits 36% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below โ€“ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Tortona
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.56 โ‚ฌ20.05
$11.61 MX$201
102.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$93.5 โ‚ฌ79.5
$42.75 MX$742
118.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.41 โ‚ฌ9.71
$10.60 MX$184
7.64%
Cappuccino
$2.03 โ‚ฌ1.73
$3.59 MX$62.3
-43.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 โ‚ฌ2.44
$1.45 MX$25.21
97.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 โ‚ฌ1.15
$0.90 MX$15.58
50.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.66 โ‚ฌ4.82
$3.03 MX$52.6
86.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.53 โ‚ฌ4.71
$4.56 MX$79.2
21.27%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Tortona
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.91 โ‚ฌ1.63
$1.45 MX$25.20
31.72%
White Bread (500g)
$2.54 โ‚ฌ2.16
$1.83 MX$31.72
38.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.43 โ‚ฌ2.92
$1.61 MX$27.92
113.04%
Eggs
$3.06 โ‚ฌ2.60
$2.54 MX$44.05
20.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.51 โ‚ฌ13.20
$8.54 MX$148
81.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.46 โ‚ฌ11.46
$8.47 MX$147
58.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.91 โ‚ฌ11.83
$10.86 MX$189
28.08%
Apples (1kg)
$2.87 โ‚ฌ2.44
$2.73 MX$47.37
5.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.65 โ‚ฌ1.40
$1.49 MX$25.91
10.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.25 โ‚ฌ2.77
$1.94 MX$33.73
67.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.83 โ‚ฌ2.41
$2.16 MX$37.57
31.02%
Potato (1kg)
$1.71 โ‚ฌ1.45
$1.85 MX$32.05
-7.57%
Onion (1kg)
$1.79 โ‚ฌ1.52
$2.19 MX$38.00
-18.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.29 โ‚ฌ1.10
$1.07 MX$18.62
20.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 โ‚ฌ0.47
$1.08 MX$18.81
-49.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.99 โ‚ฌ5.95
$4.06 MX$70.5
72.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.78 โ‚ฌ4.92
$10.46 MX$182
-44.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 โ‚ฌ1.81
$1.65 MX$28.71
29.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 โ‚ฌ2.34
$2.55 MX$44.23
7.84%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Tortona
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.73 โ‚ฌ1.47
$0.56 MX$9.65
208.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$43.93 โ‚ฌ37.38
$26.20 MX$455
67.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$11.47 โ‚ฌ9.76
$3.14 MX$54.5
265.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.10 โ‚ฌ1.78
$2.37 MX$41.17
-11.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$58.1 โ‚ฌ49.47
$3.24 MX$56.2
1694.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.01 โ‚ฌ1.71
$1.31 MX$22.81
53.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K โ‚ฌ24.0K
$30.5K MX$530.2K
-7.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.2K โ‚ฌ27.4K
$23.8K MX$413.6K
35.20%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tortona
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$242 โ‚ฌ206
$83.1 MX$1,443
191.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.57 โ‚ฌ13.25
$22.15 MX$385
-29.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.71 โ‚ฌ25.28
$29.37 MX$510
1.16%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Tortona
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.3 โ‚ฌ47.05
$51.2 MX$889
8.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.88 โ‚ฌ19.47
$18.69 MX$324
22.42%
Cinema Ticket
$12.29 โ‚ฌ10.46
$4.89 MX$84.9
151.33%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Tortona
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$546 โ‚ฌ464
$199 MX$3,449
174.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,161 โ‚ฌ6,945
$5,207 MX$90.4K
56.73%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Tortona
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.8 โ‚ฌ78.1
$35.93 MX$624
155.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.06 โ‚ฌ32.39
$39.39 MX$684
-3.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 โ‚ฌ90.5
$80.3 MX$1,394
32.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$139 โ‚ฌ118
$87.6 MX$1,520
58.35%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Tortona
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 โ‚ฌ630
$963 MX$16.7K
-23.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$581 โ‚ฌ494
$482 MX$8,370
20.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,228 โ‚ฌ1,045
$1,645 MX$28.6K
-25.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$942 โ‚ฌ802
$1,192 MX$20.7K
-20.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,043 โ‚ฌ2,590
$3,957 MX$68.7K
-23.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,227 โ‚ฌ1,895
$6,513 MX$113.1K
-65.81%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Tortona
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$726 MX$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

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.

A 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.

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