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: $2,769 in Gibraltar versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,382 in Gibraltar versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,994 in Gibraltar versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Gibraltar is roughly 114% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Gibraltar is 107% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.15 GIP 14.96

$11.73 MX$203

71.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 GIP 82.0

$41.62 MX$720

165.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.33 GIP 10.64

$10.64 MX$184

34.68%

Cappuccino

$3.48 GIP 2.58

$3.52 MX$60.9

-1.14%

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

$1.64 GIP 1.22

$1.51 MX$26.12

8.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 GIP 1.44

$0.97 MX$16.84

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.45 GIP 4.04

$2.95 MX$51.0

84.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 GIP 3.21

$4.45 MX$77.0

-2.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 GIP 1.47

$1.38 MX$23.93

44.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 GIP 1.46

$1.89 MX$32.72

3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.69 GIP 2.74

$1.64 MX$28.32

125.00%

Eggs

$5.21 GIP 3.87

$2.51 MX$43.34

107.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.86 GIP 8.07

$8.34 MX$144

30.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 GIP 6.74

$8.34 MX$144

8.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.91 GIP 10.32

$10.73 MX$186

29.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 GIP 2.64

$2.60 MX$45.04

36.92%

Banana (1kg)

$3.47 GIP 2.58

$1.46 MX$25.20

137.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.66 GIP 2.72

$1.90 MX$32.87

92.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.94 GIP 2.18

$2.08 MX$35.91

41.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 GIP 1.97

$1.78 MX$30.71

48.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 GIP 1.73

$2.19 MX$37.80

6.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 GIP 1.32

$1.04 MX$17.99

71.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 GIP 0.84

$1.08 MX$18.62

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.84 GIP 3.59

$4.08 MX$70.6

18.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.40 GIP 8.46

$10.32 MX$178

10.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 GIP 1.83

$1.71 MX$29.61

44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 GIP 1.75

$2.58 MX$44.54

-8.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 GIP 1.80

$0.51 MX$8.81

376.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.71 GIP 7.21

$3.26 MX$56.4

197.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.48 GIP 1.84

$2.49 MX$43.09

-0.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.37 GIP 9.93

$3.25 MX$56.2

311.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 GIP 1.20

$1.31 MX$22.61

22.90%

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

$46.6K GIP 34.6K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

53.88%

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

$31.8K GIP 23.6K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

35.93%

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

$134 GIP 99.4

$82.9 MX$1,433

61.61%

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

$33.38 GIP 24.78

$22.22 MX$384

50.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.3 GIP 47.74

$29.34 MX$507

119.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 GIP 59.1

$51.6 MX$893

54.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.46 GIP 2.57

$18.32 MX$317

-81.11%

Cinema Ticket

$13.79 GIP 10.24

$5.07 MX$87.6

171.99%

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

$799 GIP 594

$201 MX$3,473

298.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 GIP 102

$36.92 MX$639

271.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.81 GIP 34.01

$39.79 MX$688

15.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 GIP 75.5

$78.5 MX$1,357

29.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.2 GIP 71.4

$87.1 MX$1,506

10.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,788 GIP 1,327

$973 MX$16.8K

83.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 GIP 1,233

$468 MX$8,090

255.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,611 GIP 2,681

$1,641 MX$28.4K

119.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,235 GIP 2,402

$1,221 MX$21.1K

164.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K GIP 10.1K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

243.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,004 GIP 5,942

$6,498 MX$112.4K

23.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,861 GIP 2,124

$664 MX$11.5K

330.93%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,788 in Gibraltar and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gibraltar pays 331% 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: $110 in Gibraltar vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 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 114% in total monthly costs ($2,769 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Gibraltar pays 331% more on average, 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: $1,788 in Gibraltar versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Gibraltar. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,769 per month in Gibraltar versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 114% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,769 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 114% less than in Gibraltar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.