Cost of Living Comparison Between Carthage and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Carthage and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $629 in Carthage versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,053 in Carthage versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,476 in Carthage versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Carthage costs roughly 50% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Carthage 53% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.05 TND 14.31

$11.99 MX$210

-57.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.25 TND 71.5

$41.78 MX$733

-39.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 TND 14.34

$10.75 MX$189

-52.93%

Cappuccino

$1.07 TND 3.04

$3.50 MX$61.3

-69.43%

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

$0.71 TND 2.02

$1.45 MX$25.41

-51.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 TND 0.73

$0.88 MX$15.52

-70.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 TND 4.88

$2.95 MX$51.7

-41.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 TND 5.59

$4.51 MX$79.1

-56.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.47 TND 1.32

$1.43 MX$25.12

-67.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 TND 0.55

$1.84 MX$32.23

-89.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 TND 4.83

$1.57 MX$27.51

8.28%

Eggs

$1.64 TND 4.65

$2.51 MX$44.06

-34.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.64 TND 30.15

$8.28 MX$145

28.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 TND 17.10

$8.43 MX$148

-28.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.54 TND 41.19

$10.68 MX$187

36.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 TND 5.70

$2.61 MX$45.76

-22.99%

Banana (1kg)

$3.40 TND 9.63

$1.44 MX$25.22

136.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 TND 3.19

$1.96 MX$34.41

-42.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 TND 2.08

$2.09 MX$36.74

-65.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 TND 2.12

$1.85 MX$32.47

-59.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 TND 1.84

$2.17 MX$38.02

-70.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 TND 1.22

$1.03 MX$18.09

-58.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.81

$1.07 MX$18.84

-72.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 TND 9.71

$4.10 MX$72.0

-16.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.88 TND 19.51

$10.17 MX$178

-32.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 TND 3.82

$1.68 MX$29.38

-19.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 TND 3.56

$2.53 MX$44.31

-50.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 TND 0.92

$0.51 MX$8.93

-35.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.39 TND 20.93

$26.04 MX$457

-71.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.91

$3.23 MX$56.7

-90.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.94

$2.41 MX$42.19

-86.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 TND 9.65

$3.23 MX$56.6

5.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 TND 2.32

$1.32 MX$23.17

-37.88%

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

$41.4K TND 117.2K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

39.26%

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

$36.0K TND 102.0K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

52.15%

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

$45.15 TND 128

$82.0 MX$1,439

-44.95%

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

$9.42 TND 26.68

$22.95 MX$403

-58.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.30 TND 51.9

$30.11 MX$528

-39.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 TND 107

$52.0 MX$912

-27.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.32 TND 37.74

$18.53 MX$325

-28.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.17 TND 14.64

$4.98 MX$87.3

3.82%

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

$109 TND 309

$197 MX$3,463

-44.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,309 TND 9,377

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-37.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.19 TND 131

$35.60 MX$624

29.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.2 TND 171

$40.33 MX$707

49.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 TND 276

$78.8 MX$1,381

23.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.7 TND 186

$88.9 MX$1,560

-26.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$168 TND 475

$947 MX$16.6K

-82.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 TND 287

$474 MX$8,314

-78.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 TND 862

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-81.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 TND 676

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-80.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$957 TND 2,712

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-76.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$626 TND 1,773

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-90.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$270 TND 764

$654 MX$11.5K

-58.78%

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 Carthage: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $168 in Carthage and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 143% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $25.00 in Carthage vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $249 per month, with Carthage cheaper across the board.

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

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

Carthage and Playa del Carmen differ by about 100% in total monthly costs ($629 vs $1,256 including rent). Carthage is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 143% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $168 in Carthage versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Carthage – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $629 in Carthage versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Carthage but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Carthage the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Carthage gentler on the wallet – expenses run 100% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.