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 $1,030 per month in Treinta y Tres vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,600 per month in Treinta y Tres vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,170 per month in Treinta y Tres vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Treinta y Tres is about 19% 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 25% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.62 UYU 547

$11.60 MX$200

17.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.24 UYU 1,737

$47.11 MX$811

-8.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 UYU 354

$11.88 MX$205

-25.93%

Cappuccino

$2.79 UYU 112

$3.98 MX$68.5

-29.90%

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

$2.68 UYU 108

$1.43 MX$24.58

87.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 UYU 80.2

$0.82 MX$14.20

143.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 UYU 89.4

$3.19 MX$54.9

-30.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 UYU 116

$6.79 MX$117

-57.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 UYU 42.92

$1.68 MX$28.86

-36.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 UYU 88.6

$2.20 MX$37.84

0.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 UYU 70.5

$1.71 MX$29.42

2.34%

Eggs

$3.80 UYU 153

$2.74 MX$47.21

38.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.35 UYU 496

$9.58 MX$165

28.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.93 UYU 359

$9.01 MX$155

-0.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 UYU 307

$12.81 MX$221

-40.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 UYU 87.4

$2.89 MX$49.75

-24.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 UYU 49.27

$1.50 MX$25.79

-18.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 UYU 61.1

$2.15 MX$37.00

-29.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 UYU 93.6

$2.26 MX$38.92

3.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 UYU 48.74

$1.98 MX$34.11

-38.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 UYU 90.9

$1.99 MX$34.27

13.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 UYU 44.13

$1.23 MX$21.26

-10.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 UYU 77.0

$1.20 MX$20.61

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.37 UYU 216

$4.55 MX$78.4

18.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.45 UYU 219

$10.37 MX$179

-47.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 UYU 89.2

$1.62 MX$27.88

37.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 UYU 111

$2.88 MX$49.61

-4.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 UYU 51.2

$5.39 MX$92.8

-76.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 UYU 17.33

$3.73 MX$64.2

-88.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.54 UYU 423

$5.77 MX$99.4

82.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 UYU 78.5

$1.54 MX$26.46

27.27%

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

$19.8K UYU 795.6K

$22.5K MX$388.4K

-12.15%

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

$37.8K UYU 1.5M

$26.1K MX$448.8K

45.18%

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

$113 UYU 4,532

$91.4 MX$1,574

23.48%

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

$12.31 UYU 495

$25.20 MX$434

-51.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 UYU 1,468

$31.24 MX$538

17.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.28 UYU 1,216

$67.2 MX$1,158

-54.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$6.03 UYU 242

$4.86 MX$83.8

24.07%

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

$176 UYU 7,073

$224 MX$3,852

-21.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,718 UYU 109.2K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

-35.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 UYU 2,474

$47.10 MX$811

30.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.92 UYU 800

$44.29 MX$763

-55.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 UYU 3,943

$80.1 MX$1,380

22.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 UYU 4,448

$92.7 MX$1,596

19.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 UYU 17.7K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-58.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$245 UYU 9,823

$390 MX$6,721

-37.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$624 UYU 25.1K

$2,149 MX$37.0K

-70.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 UYU 15.2K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-70.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$801 UYU 32.2K

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-79.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$754 UYU 30.3K

$758 MX$13.1K

-0.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-65.07%

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

Last update for Treinta y Tres: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $442 in Treinta y Tres versus $1,063 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 1% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $43.00 in Treinta y Tres versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 vs $276 – making Treinta y Tres 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 23%, 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 $1,544 per month in Treinta y Tres and $1,899 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 $1,030 in Treinta y Tres and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $176 per month in Treinta y Tres and $224 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 $1,030, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.