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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $664 in Monastir versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,065 in Monastir versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,466 in Monastir versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Monastir costs roughly 48% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Monastir 51% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 TND 11.10

$11.87 MX$204

-67.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.76 TND 69.3

$42.90 MX$736

-44.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 TND 15.05

$10.65 MX$183

-51.55%

Cappuccino

$0.90 TND 2.61

$3.45 MX$59.2

-73.91%

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

$0.75 TND 2.20

$1.50 MX$25.81

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 TND 0.91

$0.95 MX$16.28

-67.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 TND 4.98

$3.03 MX$51.9

-43.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 TND 5.27

$4.61 MX$79.1

-60.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.46 TND 1.34

$1.38 MX$23.61

-66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.16 TND 0.48

$1.85 MX$31.70

-91.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 TND 5.27

$1.61 MX$27.65

11.80%

Eggs

$1.50 TND 4.36

$2.59 MX$44.51

-42.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.99 TND 34.99

$8.26 MX$142

45.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.87 TND 17.14

$8.37 MX$144

-29.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.54 TND 39.49

$10.66 MX$183

27.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 TND 4.65

$2.63 MX$45.12

-39.54%

Banana (1kg)

$3.16 TND 9.23

$1.49 MX$25.53

112.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 TND 2.71

$1.92 MX$32.94

-51.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 TND 2.18

$2.09 MX$35.81

-64.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 TND 2.19

$1.86 MX$31.88

-59.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 TND 1.72

$2.26 MX$38.81

-73.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 TND 1.27

$1.06 MX$18.23

-59.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.84

$1.09 MX$18.67

-73.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.42 TND 9.99

$4.15 MX$71.2

-17.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.01 TND 14.61

$10.39 MX$178

-51.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 TND 3.50

$1.72 MX$29.59

-30.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 TND 4.09

$2.61 MX$44.85

-46.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 TND 1.13

$0.54 MX$9.30

-27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.34 TND 33.09

$26.94 MX$462

-57.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.94

$3.13 MX$53.7

-89.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 TND 0.89

$2.51 MX$43.09

-88.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 TND 10.13

$3.15 MX$54.1

10.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 TND 2.44

$1.27 MX$21.88

-33.86%

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

$40.6K TND 118.4K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

33.62%

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

$36.4K TND 106.2K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

54.43%

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

$59.2 TND 173

$83.0 MX$1,425

-28.72%

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

$10.08 TND 29.41

$22.71 MX$390

-55.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.18 TND 53.0

$29.46 MX$506

-38.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.16 TND 61.7

$51.0 MX$875

-58.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.93 TND 20.22

$18.33 MX$315

-62.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.29 TND 15.42

$4.93 MX$84.5

7.30%

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

$106 TND 309

$197 MX$3,386

-46.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,177 TND 9,269

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-39.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.72 TND 130

$36.90 MX$633

21.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.8 TND 180

$39.89 MX$685

54.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 TND 323

$80.0 MX$1,373

38.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.9 TND 245

$89.5 MX$1,536

-6.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$204 TND 596

$956 MX$16.4K

-78.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 TND 391

$477 MX$8,189

-71.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$465 TND 1,356

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-71.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 TND 825

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-76.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,259 TND 3,672

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-67.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$632 TND 1,843

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-90.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$361 TND 1,052

$667 MX$11.4K

-45.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-3.68%

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

Last update for Monastir: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $204 in Monastir and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 85% 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: $24.00 in Monastir vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $250 per month, with Monastir 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

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

Monastir is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 85% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $204 in Monastir versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $664 per month in Monastir versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Monastir runs roughly 138% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $664 in Monastir versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Monastir but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Monastir the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Monastir is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Monastir 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 Monastir gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.