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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,239 per month in Tunapuna vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,986 per month in Tunapuna vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,732 per month in Tunapuna vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tunapuna is about 2% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tunapuna and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tunapuna 8% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.89 TTD 39.82

$11.87 MX$204

-50.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.7 TTD 492

$42.90 MX$736

69.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 TTD 44.15

$10.65 MX$183

-38.69%

Cappuccino

$3.01 TTD 20.33

$3.45 MX$59.2

-12.75%

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

$0.54 TTD 3.68

$1.50 MX$25.81

-64.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 TTD 3.05

$0.95 MX$16.28

-52.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 TTD 10.22

$3.03 MX$51.9

-50.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 TTD 20.31

$4.61 MX$79.1

-34.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 TTD 14.22

$1.38 MX$23.61

52.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 TTD 18.18

$1.85 MX$31.70

45.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 TTD 17.92

$1.61 MX$27.65

64.60%

Eggs

$4.94 TTD 33.43

$2.59 MX$44.51

90.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.98 TTD 54.0

$8.26 MX$142

-3.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.46 TTD 70.7

$8.37 MX$144

24.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.21 TTD 96.0

$10.66 MX$183

33.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.77 TTD 39.01

$2.63 MX$45.12

119.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 TTD 17.40

$1.49 MX$25.53

72.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 TTD 30.00

$1.92 MX$32.94

131.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 TTD 31.75

$2.09 MX$35.81

124.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 TTD 9.96

$1.86 MX$31.88

-20.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 TTD 11.68

$2.26 MX$38.81

-23.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 TTD 12.87

$1.06 MX$18.23

79.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 TTD 6.85

$1.09 MX$18.67

-7.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.02 TTD 33.95

$4.15 MX$71.2

20.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.81 TTD 127

$10.39 MX$178

81.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 TTD 10.15

$1.72 MX$29.59

-12.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 TTD 18.55

$2.61 MX$44.85

4.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 TTD 7.16

$3.13 MX$53.7

-66.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 TTD 8.21

$2.51 MX$43.09

-51.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.95 TTD 101

$3.15 MX$54.1

374.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 TTD 6.81

$1.27 MX$21.88

-20.47%

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

$33.4K TTD 225.8K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

9.95%

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

$38.6K TTD 260.7K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

63.65%

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

$80.0 TTD 541

$83.0 MX$1,425

-3.59%

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

$47.46 TTD 321

$22.71 MX$390

108.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 TTD 416

$29.46 MX$506

109.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$9.71 TTD 65.7

$4.93 MX$84.5

96.96%

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

$326 TTD 2,201

$197 MX$3,386

65.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,083 TTD 47.9K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

34.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 TTD 401

$36.90 MX$633

60.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.95 TTD 257

$39.89 MX$685

-4.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 TTD 1,003

$80.0 MX$1,373

85.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 TTD 394

$89.5 MX$1,536

-34.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 TTD 2,973

$956 MX$16.4K

-54.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 TTD 2,630

$477 MX$8,189

-18.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 TTD 7,105

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-36.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 TTD 4,827

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-41.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

11.42

-52.89%

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

Last update for Tunapuna: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $440 in Tunapuna 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Tunapuna versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 3%, 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 $1,859 per month in Tunapuna 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 Tunapuna, 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 $1,239 in Tunapuna 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 $326 per month in Tunapuna 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 Tunapuna, where all-in costs run around $1,239, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Tunapuna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Tunapuna. 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.