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 $1,042 per month in Treinta y Tres vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Treinta y Tres vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,150 per month in Treinta y Tres vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Treinta y Tres is about 18% 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 22% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.28 UYU 538

$11.87 MX$204

11.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.53 UYU 1,765

$42.90 MX$736

1.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.50 UYU 345

$10.65 MX$183

-20.19%

Cappuccino

$2.67 UYU 108

$3.45 MX$59.2

-22.61%

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

$2.20 UYU 89.1

$1.50 MX$25.81

46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 UYU 68.6

$0.95 MX$16.28

77.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 UYU 87.2

$3.03 MX$51.9

-29.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 UYU 122

$4.61 MX$79.1

-34.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 UYU 44.61

$1.38 MX$23.61

-20.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 UYU 88.7

$1.85 MX$31.70

18.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 UYU 64.1

$1.61 MX$27.65

-1.86%

Eggs

$3.72 UYU 151

$2.59 MX$44.51

43.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.27 UYU 498

$8.26 MX$142

48.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.61 UYU 349

$8.37 MX$144

2.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 UYU 303

$10.66 MX$183

-29.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 UYU 87.3

$2.63 MX$45.12

-18.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 UYU 48.00

$1.49 MX$25.53

-20.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 UYU 58.3

$1.92 MX$32.94

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 UYU 93.9

$2.09 MX$35.81

11.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 UYU 48.35

$1.86 MX$31.88

-36.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 UYU 77.9

$2.26 MX$38.81

-15.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 UYU 45.09

$1.06 MX$18.23

4.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 UYU 67.8

$1.09 MX$18.67

53.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 UYU 207

$4.15 MX$71.2

23.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.49 UYU 223

$10.39 MX$178

-47.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 UYU 87.8

$1.72 MX$29.59

25.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 UYU 121

$2.61 MX$44.85

14.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 UYU 48.42

$3.13 MX$53.7

-61.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 UYU 93.3

$2.51 MX$43.09

-8.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.24 UYU 496

$3.15 MX$54.1

288.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 UYU 75.0

$1.27 MX$21.88

45.67%

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

$19.6K UYU 792.7K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-35.62%

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

$35.6K UYU 1.4M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

51.18%

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

$109 UYU 4,433

$83.0 MX$1,425

31.75%

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

$12.44 UYU 504

$22.71 MX$390

-45.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.78 UYU 1,491

$29.46 MX$506

24.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.74 UYU 1,206

$51.0 MX$875

-41.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$6.04 UYU 245

$4.93 MX$84.5

22.52%

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

$169 UYU 6,836

$197 MX$3,386

-14.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,637 UYU 106.9K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-50.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 UYU 2,439

$36.90 MX$633

63.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.33 UYU 784

$39.89 MX$685

-51.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 UYU 3,901

$80.0 MX$1,373

20.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 UYU 4,386

$89.5 MX$1,536

20.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 UYU 18.1K

$956 MX$16.4K

-53.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 UYU 9,806

$477 MX$8,189

-49.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$610 UYU 24.7K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-62.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 UYU 15.1K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-69.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$786 UYU 31.9K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-79.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$730 UYU 29.6K

$667 MX$11.4K

9.45%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $447 in Treinta y Tres versus $956 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 9% 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 $44.00 in Treinta y Tres versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $250 – 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 22%, 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 $1,564 per month in Treinta y Tres and $1,906 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 $1,042 in Treinta y Tres and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $169 per month in Treinta y Tres and $197 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 $1,042, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.