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: $680 in Monastir versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,073 in Monastir versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,467 in Monastir versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Monastir costs roughly 46% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Monastir 49% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 TND 11.19

$11.72 MX$203

-67.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.83 TND 69.9

$41.89 MX$726

-43.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 TND 15.02

$10.51 MX$182

-51.28%

Cappuccino

$0.88 TND 2.58

$3.59 MX$62.1

-75.49%

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

$0.71 TND 2.08

$1.51 MX$26.14

-52.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 TND 0.91

$0.92 MX$15.86

-66.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 TND 5.02

$2.96 MX$51.2

-42.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 TND 5.51

$4.41 MX$76.4

-57.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.49 TND 1.44

$1.40 MX$24.19

-65.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.15 TND 0.44

$1.88 MX$32.65

-92.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 TND 5.12

$1.56 MX$27.01

11.54%

Eggs

$1.50 TND 4.40

$2.61 MX$45.21

-42.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.29 TND 36.07

$8.32 MX$144

47.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 TND 17.26

$8.35 MX$145

-29.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.77 TND 40.40

$10.86 MX$188

26.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 TND 4.49

$2.71 MX$47.00

-43.54%

Banana (1kg)

$3.16 TND 9.28

$1.51 MX$26.08

109.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 TND 2.88

$1.87 MX$32.46

-47.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 TND 2.21

$2.19 MX$37.95

-65.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 TND 2.19

$1.86 MX$32.19

-59.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 TND 1.75

$2.23 MX$38.65

-73.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 TND 1.27

$1.07 MX$18.51

-59.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 TND 0.91

$1.09 MX$18.82

-71.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 TND 10.12

$4.19 MX$72.6

-17.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.22 TND 15.31

$10.43 MX$181

-49.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 TND 3.49

$1.66 MX$28.72

-28.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 TND 4.07

$2.61 MX$45.26

-46.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 TND 1.13

$0.54 MX$9.39

-29.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 TND 33.93

$26.16 MX$453

-55.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.94

$3.08 MX$53.3

-89.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.98

$2.40 MX$41.67

-86.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 TND 10.19

$3.13 MX$54.2

10.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 TND 2.37

$1.31 MX$22.72

-38.17%

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

$40.8K TND 119.8K

$29.8K MX$516.5K

37.02%

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

$35.7K TND 104.7K

$23.3K MX$404.1K

53.01%

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

$58.4 TND 171

$81.3 MX$1,408

-28.15%

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

$10.12 TND 29.71

$22.56 MX$391

-55.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.20 TND 53.4

$30.05 MX$521

-39.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.70 TND 60.8

$52.9 MX$917

-60.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.97 TND 20.44

$18.39 MX$319

-62.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.41 TND 15.87

$4.92 MX$85.3

9.96%

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

$106 TND 310

$201 MX$3,480

-47.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,221 TND 9,451

$5,175 MX$89.7K

-37.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.84 TND 132

$35.92 MX$622

24.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.1 TND 182

$40.13 MX$695

54.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 TND 332

$79.7 MX$1,381

42.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.1 TND 241

$86.5 MX$1,498

-5.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$208 TND 611

$978 MX$16.9K

-78.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 TND 391

$470 MX$8,153

-71.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 TND 1,359

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-71.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$276 TND 811

$1,203 MX$20.9K

-77.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,249 TND 3,664

$3,953 MX$68.5K

-68.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$627 TND 1,839

$6,607 MX$114.5K

-90.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$348 TND 1,021

$677 MX$11.7K

-48.60%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $208 in Monastir and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 95% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $252 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 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 95% lower in Playa del Carmen. 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: $208 in Monastir versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $680 per month in Monastir versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Monastir runs roughly 126% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $680 in Monastir versus $1,260 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 85% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.