Cost of Living Comparison Between Treinta y Tres and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Treinta y Tres and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,055 per month in Treinta y Tres vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,582 per month in Treinta y Tres vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,110 per month in Treinta y Tres vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Treinta y Tres is about 16% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Treinta y Tres and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Treinta y Tres 21% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.25 UYU 527

$11.67 MX$202

13.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.06 UYU 1,674

$41.88 MX$726

0.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 UYU 342

$10.40 MX$180

-17.31%

Cappuccino

$2.66 UYU 106

$3.61 MX$62.6

-26.32%

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

$2.27 UYU 90.5

$1.47 MX$25.45

54.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 UYU 67.1

$0.91 MX$15.80

85.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 UYU 88.6

$3.03 MX$52.6

-26.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 UYU 116

$4.47 MX$77.4

-34.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 UYU 43.88

$1.38 MX$23.83

-20.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 UYU 89.6

$1.84 MX$31.93

22.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 UYU 65.1

$1.61 MX$27.82

1.86%

Eggs

$3.69 UYU 147

$2.57 MX$44.52

43.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.46 UYU 496

$8.49 MX$147

46.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.77 UYU 349

$8.49 MX$147

3.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 UYU 298

$10.99 MX$190

-31.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 UYU 85.1

$2.73 MX$47.25

-21.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 UYU 48.00

$1.50 MX$25.92

-19.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 UYU 57.5

$1.96 MX$33.93

-26.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 UYU 93.9

$2.12 MX$36.70

11.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 UYU 49.98

$1.86 MX$32.30

-32.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 UYU 76.7

$2.17 MX$37.67

-11.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 UYU 43.11

$1.07 MX$18.59

0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 UYU 69.1

$1.05 MX$18.18

65.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.15 UYU 205

$4.19 MX$72.6

22.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.41 UYU 215

$10.28 MX$178

-47.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 UYU 86.8

$1.67 MX$28.87

30.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 UYU 118

$2.49 MX$43.12

19.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 UYU 48.13

$3.10 MX$53.8

-60.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 UYU 93.3

$2.46 MX$42.66

-4.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.35 UYU 491

$3.24 MX$56.1

281.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 UYU 75.0

$1.26 MX$21.83

49.21%

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

$19.9K UYU 791.5K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-34.06%

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

$36.5K UYU 1.5M

$23.4K MX$406.3K

55.76%

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

$108 UYU 4,293

$84.0 MX$1,456

28.46%

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

$12.34 UYU 491

$22.21 MX$385

-44.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.83 UYU 1,466

$29.65 MX$514

24.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.92 UYU 1,151

$52.6 MX$912

-45.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$6.15 UYU 245

$4.95 MX$85.7

24.24%

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

$170 UYU 6,759

$198 MX$3,438

-14.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,608 UYU 103.8K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

-50.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 UYU 2,444

$35.95 MX$623

70.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.82 UYU 789

$40.06 MX$694

-50.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 UYU 3,849

$78.8 MX$1,365

22.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 UYU 4,337

$86.5 MX$1,499

25.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 UYU 17.4K

$977 MX$16.9K

-55.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 UYU 9,825

$471 MX$8,158

-47.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 UYU 24.2K

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-61.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 UYU 14.8K

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-69.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$811 UYU 32.3K

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-79.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$770 UYU 30.6K

$714 MX$12.4K

7.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-64.97%

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

Last update for Treinta y Tres: April 22, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $438 in Treinta y Tres versus $977 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 8% higher in Treinta y Tres, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Treinta y Tres versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Treinta y Tres vs $252 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

Treinta y Tres vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,582 per month in Treinta y Tres and $1,891 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 Treinta y Tres, 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 $1,055 in Treinta y Tres and $1,261 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $170 per month in Treinta y Tres and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Treinta y Tres, where all-in costs run around $1,055, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Treinta y Tres it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Treinta y Tres – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Treinta y Tres. 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.