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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,816 in Gibraltar versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,441 in Gibraltar versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,065 in Gibraltar versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Gibraltar is roughly 124% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Gibraltar is 111% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 GIP 15.36

$11.99 MX$210

72.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 GIP 80.5

$41.78 MX$731

159.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.65 GIP 10.90

$10.75 MX$188

36.28%

Cappuccino

$3.53 GIP 2.63

$3.50 MX$61.1

0.86%

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

$1.73 GIP 1.28

$1.45 MX$25.33

19.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 GIP 1.45

$0.88 MX$15.47

122.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.50 GIP 4.09

$2.95 MX$51.6

86.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 GIP 3.24

$4.51 MX$78.9

-3.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 GIP 1.46

$1.43 MX$25.04

37.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 GIP 1.52

$1.84 MX$32.13

10.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.71 GIP 2.76

$1.57 MX$27.42

136.31%

Eggs

$5.18 GIP 3.85

$2.51 MX$43.92

106.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.67 GIP 7.93

$8.28 MX$145

28.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.75 GIP 6.50

$8.43 MX$147

3.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.28 GIP 10.62

$10.68 MX$187

33.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 GIP 2.62

$2.61 MX$45.62

35.25%

Banana (1kg)

$3.32 GIP 2.47

$1.44 MX$25.15

130.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.71 GIP 2.76

$1.96 MX$34.31

89.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.91 GIP 2.16

$2.09 MX$36.62

39.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 GIP 1.93

$1.85 MX$32.37

40.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 GIP 1.74

$2.17 MX$37.90

7.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 GIP 1.31

$1.03 MX$18.04

71.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 GIP 0.84

$1.07 MX$18.78

5.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 GIP 3.53

$4.10 MX$71.7

15.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.51 GIP 8.56

$10.17 MX$178

13.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 GIP 1.75

$1.68 MX$29.29

40.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 GIP 1.72

$2.53 MX$44.17

-8.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 GIP 1.80

$0.51 MX$8.90

374.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.40 GIP 6.99

$3.23 MX$56.5

191.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.57 GIP 1.91

$2.41 MX$42.06

6.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 GIP 10.24

$3.23 MX$56.5

326.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 GIP 1.18

$1.32 MX$23.10

19.70%

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

$46.4K GIP 34.5K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

56.33%

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

$31.4K GIP 23.4K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

32.89%

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

$134 GIP 99.5

$82.0 MX$1,434

63.20%

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

$33.28 GIP 24.75

$22.95 MX$401

45.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.9 GIP 47.51

$30.11 MX$527

112.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.4 GIP 59.1

$52.0 MX$909

52.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.37 GIP 2.50

$18.53 MX$324

-81.81%

Cinema Ticket

$13.51 GIP 10.05

$4.98 MX$87.0

171.29%

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

$782 GIP 581

$197 MX$3,452

295.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 GIP 102

$35.60 MX$622

285.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 GIP 32.94

$40.33 MX$705

9.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 GIP 74.7

$78.8 MX$1,377

27.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.3 GIP 70.9

$88.9 MX$1,555

7.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,778 GIP 1,322

$947 MX$16.6K

87.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,672 GIP 1,244

$474 MX$8,288

252.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,622 GIP 2,694

$1,644 MX$28.7K

120.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,198 GIP 2,379

$1,211 MX$21.2K

164.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.5K GIP 10.0K

$4,056 MX$70.9K

233.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,997 GIP 5,947

$6,470 MX$113.1K

23.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,839 GIP 2,112

$654 MX$11.4K

334.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.6

11.42

-68.48%

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

Last update for Gibraltar: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,778 in Gibraltar and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gibraltar pays 334% 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: $108 in Gibraltar vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $334 vs $249 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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

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

Gibraltar and Playa del Carmen differ by about 124% in total monthly costs ($2,816 vs $1,256 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 334% higher in Gibraltar, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,778 in Gibraltar 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 34% higher in Gibraltar. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,816 per month in Gibraltar versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 124% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,816 in Gibraltar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Gibraltar. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen 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.

Safety-wise, Gibraltar and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 124% less than in Gibraltar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.