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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,909 per month in Tumba vs $1,265 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,894 per month in Tumba vs $2,314 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,879 per month in Tumba vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tumba costs about 51% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tumba sits 42% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.13 SEK 140

$11.48 MX$204

23.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.1 SEK 647

$46.90 MX$832

38.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 SEK 101

$11.90 MX$211

-14.71%

Cappuccino

$4.33 SEK 42.98

$4.02 MX$71.4

7.71%

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

$2.73 SEK 27.14

$1.37 MX$24.27

99.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 SEK 21.44

$0.82 MX$14.47

163.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 SEK 71.5

$3.30 MX$58.6

118.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.24 SEK 71.9

$6.71 MX$119

7.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SEK 16.89

$1.64 MX$29.13

3.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 SEK 30.17

$2.15 MX$38.13

41.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.80 SEK 37.76

$1.77 MX$31.44

114.69%

Eggs

$5.03 SEK 49.92

$2.75 MX$48.82

82.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.80 SEK 127

$9.15 MX$162

39.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.98 SEK 129

$9.23 MX$164

40.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.14 SEK 170

$12.41 MX$220

38.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 SEK 31.68

$2.90 MX$51.5

10.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 SEK 27.10

$1.50 MX$26.59

82.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 SEK 19.99

$2.16 MX$38.35

-6.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 SEK 44.41

$2.25 MX$39.84

98.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 SEK 14.42

$2.02 MX$35.88

-28.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 SEK 17.23

$2.02 MX$35.86

-14.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 SEK 22.37

$1.19 MX$21.19

89.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SEK 18.37

$1.13 MX$20.14

63.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.04 SEK 69.9

$4.43 MX$78.6

58.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 SEK 102

$10.63 MX$189

-3.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 SEK 20.08

$1.68 MX$29.76

20.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 SEK 23.33

$2.90 MX$51.5

-18.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.37 SEK 43.40

$0.60 MX$10.71

628.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 SEK 1,019

$29.09 MX$516

252.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 SEK 59.3

$5.32 MX$94.4

12.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 SEK 14.88

$3.57 MX$63.3

-57.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.2 SEK 568

$5.88 MX$104

872.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 SEK 17.49

$1.51 MX$26.77

16.56%

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

$33.4K SEK 331.6K

$22.3K MX$396.6K

49.44%

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

$32.9K SEK 326.5K

$25.7K MX$455.3K

28.13%

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

$180 SEK 1,789

$90.6 MX$1,607

98.95%

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

$21.87 SEK 217

$25.44 MX$451

-14.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.36 SEK 470

$30.61 MX$543

54.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.85 SEK 406

$66.9 MX$1,188

-38.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.65 SEK 284

$29.47 MX$523

-2.78%

Cinema Ticket

$16.54 SEK 164

$4.91 MX$87.1

236.86%

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

$160 SEK 1,589

$216 MX$3,826

-25.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,015 SEK 49.8K

$4,125 MX$73.2K

21.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 SEK 1,108

$46.02 MX$817

142.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 SEK 540

$44.24 MX$785

22.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 SEK 951

$78.4 MX$1,391

22.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$191 SEK 1,900

$92.0 MX$1,633

107.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$804 SEK 7,989

$1,061 MX$18.8K

-24.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$578 SEK 5,745

$394 MX$6,994

46.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 SEK 15.1K

$2,120 MX$37.6K

-28.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$988 SEK 9,807

$1,259 MX$22.3K

-21.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,551 SEK 35.3K

$4,072 MX$72.3K

-12.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,923 SEK 29.0K

$6,606 MX$117.2K

-55.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$752 MX$13.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.2

11.45

-72.05%

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

Last update for Tumba: September 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $804 in Tumba versus $1,061 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 $65.0 in Tumba versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 vs $274 – 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

Tumba vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tumba is pricier by about 51%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,864 per month in Tumba and $1,898 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,909 in Tumba and $1,265 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 253% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Tumba at $1,909. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tumba it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tumba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.