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: $2,906 in Gibraltar versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,623 in Gibraltar versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,340 in Gibraltar versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Gibraltar is roughly 123% 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 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.55 GIP 15.20

$11.96 MX$203

71.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 GIP 74.4

$47.38 MX$804

112.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.72 GIP 13.10

$11.75 MX$199

50.81%

Cappuccino

$4.08 GIP 3.01

$4.12 MX$70.0

-0.97%

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

$2.40 GIP 1.77

$1.40 MX$23.74

71.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 GIP 1.53

$0.91 MX$15.48

127.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.55 GIP 4.10

$3.21 MX$54.4

72.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 GIP 3.43

$7.07 MX$120

-34.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 GIP 1.39

$1.68 MX$28.44

11.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 GIP 1.89

$2.15 MX$36.48

19.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 GIP 2.62

$1.77 MX$30.10

100.00%

Eggs

$6.51 GIP 4.82

$2.82 MX$47.76

130.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.22 GIP 9.03

$9.20 MX$156

32.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.57 GIP 6.34

$9.23 MX$157

-7.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.18 GIP 13.45

$12.64 MX$214

43.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 GIP 2.22

$2.95 MX$50.1

1.69%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 GIP 2.23

$1.58 MX$26.79

91.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.70 GIP 2.73

$2.22 MX$37.70

66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.33 GIP 2.46

$2.36 MX$40.09

41.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 GIP 2.12

$1.99 MX$33.81

43.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 GIP 1.56

$1.98 MX$33.58

6.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 GIP 1.36

$1.24 MX$21.04

48.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 GIP 1.11

$1.21 MX$20.55

24.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.39 GIP 3.99

$4.60 MX$78.1

17.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.64 GIP 8.61

$10.52 MX$178

10.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 GIP 2.04

$1.69 MX$28.70

63.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 GIP 2.37

$2.77 MX$47.06

15.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.30 GIP 2.44

$0.60 MX$10.22

450.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$13.75 GIP 10.17

$5.24 MX$88.8

162.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.78 GIP 10.19

$5.78 MX$98.1

138.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 GIP 1.12

$1.54 MX$26.09

-1.95%

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

$49.9K GIP 36.9K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

118.70%

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

$30.3K GIP 22.4K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

17.47%

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

$171 GIP 127

$90.7 MX$1,538

88.71%

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

$27.18 GIP 20.10

$25.19 MX$427

7.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.6 GIP 50.7

$31.75 MX$539

116.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.3 GIP 60.1

$68.8 MX$1,167

18.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.87 GIP 16.91

$29.37 MX$498

-22.13%

Cinema Ticket

$13.59 GIP 10.05

$4.86 MX$82.5

179.63%

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

$1,147 GIP 848

$226 MX$3,828

408.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K GIP 15.9K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

412.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 GIP 104

$47.38 MX$804

195.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.9 GIP 50.2

$43.45 MX$737

56.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 GIP 91.1

$80.2 MX$1,361

53.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 GIP 112

$91.4 MX$1,550

65.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,235 GIP 1,653

$1,086 MX$18.4K

105.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 GIP 1,228

$409 MX$6,933

306.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,924 GIP 2,902

$1,972 MX$33.5K

98.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,242 GIP 2,397

$1,281 MX$21.7K

152.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K GIP 10.0K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

235.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,123 GIP 6,006

$6,704 MX$113.7K

21.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,488 GIP 1,840

$773 MX$13.1K

221.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.13

11.45

-46.46%

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

Last update for Gibraltar: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,235 in Gibraltar and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gibraltar pays 222% 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: $101 in Gibraltar vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $278 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 123% in total monthly costs ($2,906 vs $1,305 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 222% 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: $2,235 in Gibraltar versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Gibraltar. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,906 per month in Gibraltar versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 123% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,906 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 123% less than in Gibraltar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.