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: $659 in Monastir versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,083 in Monastir versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,507 in Monastir versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Monastir costs roughly 49% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Monastir 51% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.99 TND 11.52

$11.94 MX$208

-66.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.53 TND 68.0

$42.75 MX$744

-44.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 TND 14.38

$10.59 MX$184

-52.97%

Cappuccino

$0.91 TND 2.63

$3.62 MX$63.0

-74.86%

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

$0.73 TND 2.11

$1.47 MX$25.54

-50.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.83

$0.94 MX$16.41

-69.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 TND 4.99

$3.09 MX$53.8

-44.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 TND 5.33

$4.46 MX$77.6

-58.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.46 TND 1.33

$1.43 MX$24.80

-67.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.15 TND 0.45

$1.88 MX$32.79

-92.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 TND 5.24

$1.63 MX$28.34

11.04%

Eggs

$1.49 TND 4.30

$2.64 MX$45.99

-43.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.16 TND 35.14

$8.21 MX$143

48.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.75 TND 16.62

$8.29 MX$144

-30.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.69 TND 39.58

$11.10 MX$193

23.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 TND 4.57

$2.65 MX$46.14

-40.38%

Banana (1kg)

$3.15 TND 9.11

$1.50 MX$26.11

110.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 TND 2.78

$1.99 MX$34.59

-51.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 TND 2.21

$2.08 MX$36.13

-63.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 TND 2.03

$1.79 MX$31.11

-60.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 TND 1.68

$2.18 MX$37.87

-73.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 TND 1.33

$1.08 MX$18.73

-57.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.83

$1.04 MX$18.04

-72.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.46 TND 9.99

$3.97 MX$69.1

-12.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.10 TND 14.74

$10.20 MX$178

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 TND 3.45

$1.73 MX$30.04

-31.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 TND 3.92

$2.50 MX$43.46

-45.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 TND 1.10

$0.52 MX$9.02

-26.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.17 TND 32.29

$26.97 MX$469

-58.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.93

$3.14 MX$54.7

-89.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 TND 0.89

$2.40 MX$41.80

-87.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 TND 9.55

$3.09 MX$53.7

7.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 TND 2.42

$1.27 MX$22.16

-33.86%

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

$40.0K TND 115.6K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

29.58%

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

$36.1K TND 104.2K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

54.64%

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

$57.5 TND 166

$82.0 MX$1,427

-29.86%

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

$10.25 TND 29.62

$22.45 MX$391

-54.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.66 TND 53.9

$29.66 MX$516

-37.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.43 TND 59.0

$51.9 MX$903

-60.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.81 TND 19.70

$18.67 MX$325

-63.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.55 TND 16.03

$4.97 MX$86.5

11.67%

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

$105 TND 305

$198 MX$3,442

-46.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,182 TND 9,197

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-39.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.15 TND 133

$36.34 MX$632

27.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.1 TND 174

$40.05 MX$697

50.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 TND 329

$79.9 MX$1,390

42.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.4 TND 241

$88.9 MX$1,547

-6.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 TND 597

$963 MX$16.8K

-78.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 TND 384

$465 MX$8,086

-71.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 TND 1,376

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-70.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$276 TND 797

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-77.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,273 TND 3,680

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-67.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$633 TND 1,828

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-90.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$357 TND 1,032

$720 MX$12.5K

-50.45%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $207 in Monastir and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 102% 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 $188 vs $251 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 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 102% 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: $207 in Monastir versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $659 per month in Monastir versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 95% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Monastir runs roughly 141% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $659 in Monastir versus $1,287 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 95% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.