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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $518 per month in Gabes vs $1,239 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $832 per month in Gabes vs $2,168 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,147 per month in Gabes vs $3,096 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Gabes is about 58% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Gabes and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Gabes 62% lower, Playa del Carmen 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 TND 8.24

$11.17 MX$203

-75.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.08 TND 51.2

$44.61 MX$809

-61.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.62 TND 10.83

$11.91 MX$216

-69.61%

Cappuccino

$0.84 TND 2.50

$3.81 MX$69.2

-77.95%

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

$0.63 TND 1.88

$1.38 MX$24.96

-54.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 TND 0.75

$0.80 MX$14.45

-68.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 TND 3.67

$3.12 MX$56.5

-60.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 TND 4.65

$4.97 MX$90.1

-68.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.45 TND 1.34

$1.51 MX$27.40

-70.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 TND 0.69

$2.25 MX$40.74

-89.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 TND 5.62

$1.51 MX$27.33

24.50%

Eggs

$1.45 TND 4.34

$2.46 MX$44.69

-41.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.45 TND 37.28

$7.50 MX$136

66.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.94 TND 17.79

$8.07 MX$146

-26.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.85 TND 44.46

$13.08 MX$237

13.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 TND 5.05

$2.83 MX$51.4

-40.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 TND 8.83

$1.47 MX$26.76

100.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 TND 2.84

$2.69 MX$48.87

-64.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 TND 2.68

$2.08 MX$37.73

-56.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 TND 2.65

$1.96 MX$35.49

-54.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 TND 1.69

$2.01 MX$36.48

-71.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 TND 1.05

$1.21 MX$21.95

-71.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 TND 0.97

$1.23 MX$22.33

-73.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.34 TND 10.00

$4.46 MX$81.0

-25.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.48 TND 10.42

$9.98 MX$181

-65.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 TND 2.19

$1.63 MX$29.60

-55.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 TND 2.46

$2.80 MX$50.8

-70.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 TND 0.57

$0.58 MX$10.49

-67.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.87 TND 20.56

$28.28 MX$513

-75.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.97

$4.85 MX$88.1

-93.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.18 TND 0.54

$3.50 MX$63.5

-94.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.04 TND 12.10

$5.65 MX$103

-28.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 TND 2.44

$1.46 MX$26.41

-43.84%

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

$40.7K TND 121.9K

$21.4K MX$388.2K

90.24%

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

$28.9K TND 86.5K

$24.0K MX$435.2K

20.37%

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

$45.17 TND 135

$86.3 MX$1,566

-47.68%

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

$7.48 TND 22.41

$23.96 MX$435

-68.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.84 TND 50.4

$28.93 MX$525

-41.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.76 TND 95.1

$64.6 MX$1,173

-50.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.75 TND 14.21

$29.07 MX$527

-83.66%

Cinema Ticket

$3.39 TND 10.14

$5.13 MX$93.1

-33.92%

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

$57.0 TND 171

$211 MX$3,835

-73.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,000 TND 5,988

$4,045 MX$73.4K

-50.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.46 TND 97.2

$44.23 MX$803

-26.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.63 TND 122

$43.35 MX$787

-6.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 TND 225

$76.9 MX$1,395

-2.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.8 TND 203

$88.4 MX$1,604

-23.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$114 TND 342

$996 MX$18.1K

-88.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.9 TND 212

$379 MX$6,869

-81.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$206 TND 616

$1,767 MX$32.1K

-88.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 TND 352

$1,127 MX$20.4K

-89.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$981 TND 2,938

$4,010 MX$72.8K

-75.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$634 TND 1,899

$6,392 MX$116.0K

-90.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$411 TND 1,232

$768 MX$13.9K

-46.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.80%

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

Last update for Gabes: September 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $114 in Gabes versus $996 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 87% 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 $17.00 in Gabes versus $45.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $263 – making Gabes 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 139%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $776 per month in Gabes and $1,859 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 Gabes, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $57.0 per month in Gabes and $211 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gabes, where all-in costs run around $518, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,239. In Gabes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gabes – 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 Gabes. 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.