Cost of Living Comparison Between Ben Arous and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ben Arous and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $652 per month in Ben Arous vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,052 per month in Ben Arous vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,451 per month in Ben Arous vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ben Arous is about 49% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ben Arous and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ben Arous 51% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.41 TND 9.96

$11.87 MX$204

-71.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.33 TND 65.1

$42.90 MX$736

-47.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.20 TND 12.26

$10.65 MX$183

-60.56%

Cappuccino

$0.71 TND 2.07

$3.45 MX$59.2

-79.42%

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

$0.61 TND 1.77

$1.50 MX$25.81

-59.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 TND 0.76

$0.95 MX$16.28

-72.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 TND 4.49

$3.03 MX$51.9

-49.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 TND 5.60

$4.61 MX$79.1

-58.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.49 TND 1.43

$1.38 MX$23.61

-64.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.19 TND 0.56

$1.85 MX$31.70

-89.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 TND 4.73

$1.61 MX$27.65

0.62%

Eggs

$1.57 TND 4.58

$2.59 MX$44.51

-39.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.32 TND 33.03

$8.26 MX$142

37.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 TND 17.97

$8.37 MX$144

-26.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.68 TND 42.84

$10.66 MX$183

37.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 TND 6.14

$2.63 MX$45.12

-19.77%

Banana (1kg)

$3.04 TND 8.85

$1.49 MX$25.53

104.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 TND 3.31

$1.92 MX$32.94

-41.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 TND 2.06

$2.09 MX$35.81

-66.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 TND 2.19

$1.86 MX$31.88

-59.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 TND 2.25

$2.26 MX$38.81

-65.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 TND 1.26

$1.06 MX$18.23

-59.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.86

$1.09 MX$18.67

-73.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 TND 10.59

$4.15 MX$71.2

-12.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 TND 22.91

$10.39 MX$178

-24.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 TND 3.19

$1.72 MX$29.59

-36.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 TND 3.65

$2.61 MX$44.85

-52.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 TND 1.15

$0.54 MX$9.30

-27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.72 TND 40.03

$26.94 MX$462

-49.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.94

$3.13 MX$53.7

-89.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 TND 0.89

$2.51 MX$43.09

-87.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 TND 10.01

$3.15 MX$54.1

8.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 TND 2.39

$1.27 MX$21.88

-35.43%

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

$40.5K TND 118.2K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

33.43%

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

$35.0K TND 102.0K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

48.31%

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

$49.32 TND 144

$83.0 MX$1,425

-40.58%

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

$9.74 TND 28.42

$22.71 MX$390

-57.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.34 TND 62.3

$29.46 MX$506

-27.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.82 TND 92.8

$51.0 MX$875

-37.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 TND 49.83

$18.33 MX$315

-6.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 TND 14.88

$4.93 MX$84.5

3.45%

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

$109 TND 319

$197 MX$3,386

-44.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,528 TND 7,377

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-52.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.77 TND 131

$36.90 MX$633

21.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.75 TND 128

$39.89 MX$685

9.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 TND 282

$80.0 MX$1,373

20.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 TND 230

$89.5 MX$1,536

-11.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$188 TND 549

$956 MX$16.4K

-80.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 TND 403

$477 MX$8,189

-71.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 TND 1,068

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-77.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 TND 790

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-77.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$953 TND 2,781

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-75.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$431 TND 1,257

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-93.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$253 TND 737

$667 MX$11.4K

-62.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.96

11.42

-4.03%

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

Last update for Ben Arous: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $188 in Ben Arous 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.

Salaries run about 164% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Ben Arous versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $250 – making Ben Arous 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $652 in Ben Arous, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 95% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $978 per month in Ben Arous 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 Ben Arous, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Ben Arous and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $652 in Ben Arous and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ben Arous, where all-in costs run around $652, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Ben Arous it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $652 in Ben Arous to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Ben Arous. 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.