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 $1,211 per month in Tunapuna vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,958 per month in Tunapuna vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,706 per month in Tunapuna vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tunapuna is about 6% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tunapuna and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tunapuna 10% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 TTD 40.22

$11.94 MX$208

-50.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 TTD 496

$42.75 MX$744

71.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 TTD 45.30

$10.59 MX$184

-37.02%

Cappuccino

$2.95 TTD 20.00

$3.62 MX$63.0

-18.51%

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

$0.50 TTD 3.37

$1.47 MX$25.54

-65.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 TTD 2.84

$0.94 MX$16.41

-55.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 TTD 9.81

$3.09 MX$53.8

-53.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 TTD 19.52

$4.46 MX$77.6

-35.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 TTD 14.35

$1.43 MX$24.80

47.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 TTD 19.15

$1.88 MX$32.79

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 TTD 17.46

$1.63 MX$28.34

57.67%

Eggs

$5.15 TTD 34.95

$2.64 MX$45.99

95.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 TTD 53.7

$8.21 MX$143

-3.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 TTD 70.8

$8.29 MX$144

25.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.31 TTD 97.2

$11.10 MX$193

28.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 TTD 38.45

$2.65 MX$46.14

113.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 TTD 17.84

$1.50 MX$26.11

75.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 TTD 29.14

$1.99 MX$34.59

115.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 TTD 31.23

$2.08 MX$36.13

121.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 TTD 9.73

$1.79 MX$31.11

-20.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 TTD 11.61

$2.18 MX$37.87

-21.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 TTD 13.21

$1.08 MX$18.73

80.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 TTD 7.08

$1.04 MX$18.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 TTD 34.60

$3.97 MX$69.1

28.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.33 TTD 131

$10.20 MX$178

89.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 TTD 9.78

$1.73 MX$30.04

-16.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 TTD 18.38

$2.50 MX$43.46

8.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.84

$3.14 MX$54.7

-67.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 TTD 8.39

$2.40 MX$41.80

-48.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.06 TTD 102

$3.09 MX$53.7

387.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 TTD 7.20

$1.27 MX$22.16

-16.54%

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

$34.2K TTD 232.4K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

10.83%

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

$38.9K TTD 264.2K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

66.89%

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

$81.2 TTD 551

$82.0 MX$1,427

-1.05%

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

$47.13 TTD 320

$22.45 MX$391

109.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.2 TTD 416

$29.66 MX$516

106.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$10.04 TTD 68.2

$4.97 MX$86.5

102.01%

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

$332 TTD 2,256

$198 MX$3,442

67.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,101 TTD 48.2K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

34.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 TTD 397

$36.34 MX$632

60.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.99 TTD 258

$40.05 MX$697

-5.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 TTD 993

$79.9 MX$1,390

83.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.2 TTD 402

$88.9 MX$1,547

-33.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 TTD 3,039

$963 MX$16.8K

-53.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 TTD 2,561

$465 MX$8,086

-18.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,037 TTD 7,044

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-35.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 TTD 4,766

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-41.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $448 in Tunapuna versus $963 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: $363 vs $251 – 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 6%, 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 $1,816 per month in Tunapuna and $1,930 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 $1,211 in Tunapuna and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $332 per month in Tunapuna 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 Tunapuna, where all-in costs run around $1,211, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.