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 $693 per month in Ben Arous vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,087 per month in Ben Arous vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,481 per month in Ben Arous vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ben Arous is about 48% 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 49% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 TND 11.69

$13.02 MX$221

-68.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.63 TND 59.5

$46.25 MX$784

-55.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 TND 14.53

$12.59 MX$213

-59.97%

Cappuccino

$0.84 TND 2.41

$4.00 MX$67.9

-79.00%

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

$0.68 TND 1.97

$1.42 MX$24.08

-52.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 TND 0.71

$0.81 MX$13.73

-69.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 TND 4.54

$3.05 MX$51.7

-48.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 TND 5.75

$6.82 MX$116

-70.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.48 TND 1.38

$1.71 MX$29.04

-71.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.24 TND 0.69

$2.22 MX$37.62

-89.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 TND 4.96

$1.72 MX$29.13

Eggs

$1.60 TND 4.62

$2.71 MX$45.99

-40.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 TND 30.45

$9.37 MX$159

12.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 TND 17.40

$8.86 MX$150

-31.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 TND 46.56

$12.78 MX$217

26.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 TND 4.35

$3.13 MX$53.0

-51.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 TND 6.88

$1.55 MX$26.24

54.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 TND 2.92

$2.15 MX$36.51

-53.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 TND 2.15

$2.35 MX$39.89

-68.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 TND 2.39

$2.02 MX$34.23

-58.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 TND 2.31

$1.99 MX$33.67

-59.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 TND 1.41

$1.24 MX$21.09

-60.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 TND 0.86

$1.19 MX$20.21

-74.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.62 TND 10.43

$4.65 MX$78.8

-22.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.89 TND 19.86

$10.47 MX$177

-34.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 TND 3.34

$1.58 MX$26.82

-26.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 TND 3.61

$2.92 MX$49.48

-57.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 TND 1.14

$0.56 MX$9.53

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.87 TND 39.99

$29.76 MX$504

-53.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.92

$5.32 MX$90.2

-93.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 TND 1.01

$3.72 MX$63.0

-90.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 TND 9.88

$5.78 MX$97.9

-40.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 TND 2.44

$1.55 MX$26.27

-45.16%

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

$39.9K TND 115.0K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

78.26%

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

$37.6K TND 108.3K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

46.87%

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

$55.7 TND 161

$89.3 MX$1,513

-37.57%

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

$9.75 TND 28.11

$23.30 MX$395

-58.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.91 TND 60.3

$31.72 MX$538

-34.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.01 TND 95.2

$68.8 MX$1,165

-51.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.88 TND 48.68

$29.40 MX$498

-42.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 TND 14.33

$5.06 MX$85.7

-1.78%

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

$107 TND 310

$222 MX$3,765

-51.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,521 TND 7,268

$4,293 MX$72.7K

-41.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 TND 150

$46.21 MX$783

12.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.90 TND 129

$44.43 MX$753

1.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 TND 299

$95.5 MX$1,618

8.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.3 TND 191

$92.5 MX$1,568

-28.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 TND 618

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-79.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$162 TND 468

$393 MX$6,663

-58.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 TND 1,100

$1,988 MX$33.7K

-80.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 TND 784

$1,304 MX$22.1K

-79.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$938 TND 2,705

$4,037 MX$68.4K

-76.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$427 TND 1,231

$6,627 MX$112.3K

-93.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$253 TND 730

$747 MX$12.7K

-66.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

11.6

-9.48%

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

Last update for Ben Arous: August 16, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $214 in Ben Arous versus $1,069 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 195% 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 $21.00 in Ben Arous versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $277 – 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: $693 in Ben Arous, $1,330 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 92% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,040 per month in Ben Arous and $1,995 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 $21.00 in Ben Arous and $46.00 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 $693 in Ben Arous and $1,330 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 $693, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. 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 $693 in Ben Arous to $1,330 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.