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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $562 per month in Kairouan vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $869 per month in Kairouan vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,176 per month in Kairouan vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kairouan is about 55% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kairouan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Kairouan 58% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.39 TND 7.01

$11.72 MX$203

-79.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.64 TND 25.36

$41.89 MX$725

-79.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.33 TND 9.77

$10.51 MX$182

-68.32%

Cappuccino

$0.77 TND 2.25

$3.59 MX$62.0

-78.55%

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

$0.61 TND 1.78

$1.51 MX$26.10

-59.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 TND 0.38

$0.92 MX$15.83

-85.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 TND 4.38

$2.96 MX$51.2

-49.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 TND 5.60

$4.41 MX$76.3

-56.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.49 TND 1.45

$1.40 MX$24.16

-65.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.08 TND 0.23

$1.88 MX$32.60

-95.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 TND 4.55

$1.56 MX$26.97

-0.64%

Eggs

$1.50 TND 4.39

$2.61 MX$45.14

-42.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.35 TND 33.31

$8.32 MX$144

36.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.61 TND 16.47

$8.35 MX$145

-32.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 TND 35.03

$10.86 MX$188

9.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 TND 6.39

$2.71 MX$46.93

-19.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 TND 6.76

$1.51 MX$26.04

52.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 TND 2.94

$1.87 MX$32.41

-46.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 TND 2.16

$2.19 MX$37.89

-66.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 TND 2.03

$1.86 MX$32.14

-62.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 TND 2.13

$2.23 MX$38.59

-67.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 TND 1.42

$1.07 MX$18.48

-54.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 TND 0.80

$1.09 MX$18.79

-75.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 TND 9.84

$4.19 MX$72.4

-20.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.63 TND 19.47

$10.43 MX$180

-36.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 TND 3.35

$1.66 MX$28.68

-31.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 TND 3.14

$2.61 MX$45.19

-59.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 TND 0.97

$0.54 MX$9.37

-38.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.13 TND 29.74

$26.16 MX$453

-61.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 TND 0.92

$3.08 MX$53.3

-89.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.98

$2.40 MX$41.61

-86.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.38 TND 21.66

$3.13 MX$54.1

135.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 TND 2.31

$1.31 MX$22.69

-39.69%

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

$36.3K TND 106.4K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

21.64%

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

$34.5K TND 101.2K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

47.89%

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

$46.19 TND 136

$81.3 MX$1,406

-43.17%

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

$9.78 TND 28.71

$22.56 MX$390

-56.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.61 TND 42.88

$30.05 MX$520

-51.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.96 TND 70.3

$52.9 MX$915

-54.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.48 TND 36.61

$18.39 MX$318

-32.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 TND 13.58

$4.92 MX$85.1

-5.89%

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

$107 TND 313

$201 MX$3,474

-46.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,475 TND 7,263

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-52.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.83 TND 69.9

$35.92 MX$622

-33.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.37 TND 130

$40.13 MX$694

10.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.47 TND 139

$79.7 MX$1,379

-40.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.8 TND 187

$86.5 MX$1,496

-26.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 TND 339

$978 MX$16.9K

-88.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 TND 392

$470 MX$8,140

-71.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$373 TND 1,093

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-77.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 TND 803

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-77.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$968 TND 2,842

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-75.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$568 TND 1,668

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-91.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$326 TND 956

$677 MX$11.7K

-51.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.6

11.42

19.09%

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

Last update for Kairouan: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $115 in Kairouan versus $978 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 108% 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 $9.00 in Kairouan versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $178 vs $252 – making Kairouan 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $562 in Kairouan, $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 124% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $842 per month in Kairouan and $1,890 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 Kairouan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 158% less in Kairouan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $107 per month in Kairouan and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kairouan, where all-in costs run around $562, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Kairouan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $562 in Kairouan to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kairouan. 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.