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 $1,240 per month in Tunapuna vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Tunapuna vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,791 per month in Tunapuna vs $2,990 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 7% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.90 TTD 39.60

$11.72 MX$203

-49.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.9 TTD 503

$41.89 MX$725

78.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.76 TTD 45.36

$10.51 MX$182

-35.68%

Cappuccino

$2.92 TTD 19.64

$3.59 MX$62.0

-18.66%

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

$0.54 TTD 3.61

$1.51 MX$26.10

-64.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 TTD 3.03

$0.92 MX$15.83

-51.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 TTD 9.74

$2.96 MX$51.2

-51.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 TTD 19.74

$4.41 MX$76.3

-33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 TTD 13.61

$1.40 MX$24.16

45.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 TTD 18.92

$1.88 MX$32.60

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 TTD 18.01

$1.56 MX$26.97

71.79%

Eggs

$4.95 TTD 33.21

$2.61 MX$45.14

89.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 TTD 52.8

$8.32 MX$144

-5.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.31 TTD 69.2

$8.35 MX$145

23.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.02 TTD 94.2

$10.86 MX$188

29.10%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 TTD 38.00

$2.71 MX$46.93

108.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 TTD 16.71

$1.51 MX$26.04

64.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 TTD 29.17

$1.87 MX$32.41

132.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 TTD 31.14

$2.19 MX$37.89

111.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 TTD 9.69

$1.86 MX$32.14

-22.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 TTD 11.23

$2.23 MX$38.59

-25.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 TTD 13.16

$1.07 MX$18.48

83.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 TTD 6.78

$1.09 MX$18.79

-7.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 TTD 34.81

$4.19 MX$72.4

23.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.32 TTD 130

$10.43 MX$180

85.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 TTD 9.70

$1.66 MX$28.68

-13.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 TTD 19.07

$2.61 MX$45.19

8.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 TTD 7.10

$3.08 MX$53.3

-65.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 TTD 8.21

$2.40 MX$41.61

-49.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.84 TTD 99.7

$3.13 MX$54.1

374.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 TTD 6.83

$1.31 MX$22.69

-22.14%

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

$34.0K TTD 228.6K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

14.19%

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

$39.1K TTD 262.3K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

67.47%

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

$81.2 TTD 545

$81.3 MX$1,406

-0.15%

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

$46.77 TTD 314

$22.56 MX$390

107.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 TTD 419

$30.05 MX$520

107.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$10.19 TTD 68.4

$4.92 MX$85.1

107.11%

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

$329 TTD 2,210

$201 MX$3,474

63.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,210 TTD 48.4K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

39.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 TTD 392

$35.92 MX$622

62.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.16 TTD 256

$40.13 MX$694

-4.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 TTD 977

$79.7 MX$1,379

82.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.1 TTD 397

$86.5 MX$1,496

-31.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 TTD 2,972

$978 MX$16.9K

-54.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 TTD 2,630

$470 MX$8,140

-16.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,029 TTD 6,906

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-37.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 TTD 4,800

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-40.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $443 in Tunapuna versus $978 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 $75.0 in Tunapuna versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $252 – 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 2%, 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 $1,860 per month in Tunapuna and $1,890 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 $1,240 in Tunapuna and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $329 per month in Tunapuna and $201 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 $1,240, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.