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Oaxaca vs Tulum cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฒ๐ฝ Oaxaca
๐ฒ๐ฝ Tulum
At a glance
- Where Oaxaca is clearly cheaper: Transit (67%โ), Scooter rental (67%โ), Half-day tour (67%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Oaxaca 3 vs Tulum 4. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Oaxaca | Tulum | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | MX$ 120$6.45 | MX$ 150$8.06 | Oaxaca โ20% |
| Street food1 item | MX$ 60$3.23 | MX$ 60$3.23 | similar |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | MX$ 300$16.1 | MX$ 450$24.2 | Oaxaca โ33% |
| Coffeeone cup | MX$ 60$3.23 | MX$ 70$3.76 | Oaxaca โ14% |
| Beerone bottle | MX$ 50$2.69 | MX$ 75$4.03 | Oaxaca โ33% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | MX$ 130$6.99 | MX$ 180$9.68 | Oaxaca โ28% |
| Bottled water | MX$ 15$0.81 | MX$ 16$0.86 | Oaxaca โ6% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | MX$ 22$1.18 | MX$ 24$1.29 | Oaxaca โ8% |
| Taxi5 km in town | MX$ 70$3.76 | MX$ 150$8.06 | Oaxaca โ53% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | MX$ 45$2.42 | MX$ 70$3.76 | Oaxaca โ36% |
| Transitone ride | MX$ 10$0.54 | MX$ 30$1.61 | Oaxaca โ67% |
| Scooter rentalper day | MX$ 200$10.8 | MX$ 600$32.3 | Oaxaca โ67% |
| Hotel night3-star | MX$ 1,700$91.4 | MX$ 1,600$86 | Tulum โ6% |
| Studio rent (month) | MX$ 7,500$403 | MX$ 11,500$618 | Oaxaca โ35% |
| Laundry | MX$ 25$1.34 | MX$ 35$1.88 | Oaxaca โ29% |
| SIM card1 week data | MX$ 150$8.06 | MX$ 300$16.1 | Oaxaca โ50% |
| Haircutcut | MX$ 120$6.45 | MX$ 200$10.8 | Oaxaca โ40% |
| Massage1 hour | MX$ 600$32.3 | MX$ 800$43 | Oaxaca โ25% |
| Half-day tourper person | MX$ 400$21.5 | MX$ 1,200$64.5 | Oaxaca โ67% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | MX$ 95$5.11 | MX$ 200$10.8 | Oaxaca โ52% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Oaxaca or Tulum?
Oaxaca is 28% cheaper than Tulum. Daily budget $145 vs $166; a month $1,751 vs $2,860.
Which is easier to travel, Oaxaca or Tulum?
About the same: Oaxaca 2.8/5, Tulum 2.8/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Oaxaca and Tulum?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Oaxaca is about $1,751 and Tulum about $2,860 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.