Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nabeul and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Nabeul: $678 a month against $1,210 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Nabeul
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$678
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nabeul and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nabeul and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $678 in Nabeul versus $1,210 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Nabeul $678
  • Playa del Carmen $1,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,065 in Nabeul versus $2,113 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Nabeul $1,065
  • Playa del Carmen $2,113

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,452 in Nabeul versus $3,016 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Nabeul $1,452
  • Playa del Carmen $3,016

Living in Nabeul costs roughly 44% less than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nabeul 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 10% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nabeul
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.08 TND 12.22
$10.76 MX$199
-62.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.03 TND 60.0
$43.03 MX$795
-53.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.81 TND 14.40
$11.79 MX$218
-59.20%
Cappuccino
$1.50 TND 4.48
$3.87 MX$71.4
-61.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.61 TND 1.82
$1.37 MX$25.29
-55.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 TND 1.65
$0.84 MX$15.44
-34.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.63 TND 4.89
$3.10 MX$57.3
-47.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62 TND 4.86
$5.07 MX$93.6
-68.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nabeul
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.46 TND 1.38
$1.44 MX$26.55
-68.06%
White Bread (500g)
$0.16 TND 0.49
$2.23 MX$41.23
-92.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 TND 3.97
$1.47 MX$27.17
-9.52%
Eggs
$1.53 TND 4.58
$2.53 MX$46.71
-39.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.76 TND 35.23
$7.30 MX$135
61.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.95 TND 17.83
$7.86 MX$145
-24.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.33 TND 36.93
$12.79 MX$236
-3.60%
Apples (1kg)
$2.04 TND 6.10
$2.90 MX$53.6
-29.66%
Banana (1kg)
$3.56 TND 10.65
$1.44 MX$26.53
147.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.32 TND 3.96
$2.55 MX$47.07
-48.24%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.77 TND 2.30
$2.06 MX$38.03
-62.62%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 TND 1.94
$2.00 MX$36.97
-67.50%
Onion (1kg)
$0.79 TND 2.38
$2.01 MX$37.07
-60.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.48 TND 1.43
$1.19 MX$22.02
-59.66%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31 TND 0.94
$1.26 MX$23.23
-75.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.37 TND 10.08
$4.40 MX$81.4
-23.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.87 TND 14.60
$9.59 MX$177
-49.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 TND 3.64
$1.59 MX$29.41
-23.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 TND 3.76
$2.81 MX$51.9
-55.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Nabeul
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.83 TND 2.48
$0.57 MX$10.47
45.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$27.82 MX$514
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.31 TND 0.94
$4.98 MX$92.1
-93.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.32 TND 0.95
$3.50 MX$64.6
-90.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$5.40 MX$99.8
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 TND 2.64
$1.47 MX$27.08
-40.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.2K TND 120.5K
$21.0K MX$387.8K
91.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.1K TND 108.0K
$23.9K MX$441.8K
50.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nabeul
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$59.7 TND 179
$84.2 MX$1,556
-29.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.40 TND 31.16
$23.99 MX$443
-56.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.91 TND 59.6
$29.02 MX$536
-31.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nabeul
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.74 TND 89.1
$63.0 MX$1,164
-52.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.72 TND 41.09
$29.14 MX$539
-52.92%
Cinema Ticket
$5.49 TND 16.44
$4.94 MX$91.3
11.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nabeul
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$60.3 TND 181
$204 MX$3,763
-70.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,717 TND 11.1K
$3,941 MX$72.8K
-5.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nabeul
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.06 TND 114
$43.60 MX$806
-12.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.8 TND 173
$43.12 MX$797
33.97%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.5 TND 289
$75.8 MX$1,400
27.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$66.2 TND 198
$88.6 MX$1,637
-25.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nabeul
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$228 TND 684
$1,008 MX$18.6K
-77.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$156 TND 468
$374 MX$6,911
-58.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$378 TND 1,133
$1,708 MX$31.6K
-77.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$278 TND 832
$1,106 MX$20.4K
-74.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$849 TND 2,544
$3,944 MX$72.9K
-78.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$813 TND 2,435
$6,169 MX$114.0K
-86.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nabeul
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$255 TND 763
$754 MX$13.9K
-66.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.33
11.45
-9.78%

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

Last update for Nabeul: October 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Nabeul
$188
Playa del Carmen
$258 37.6% $71
Accommodation & Living
Nabeul
$156
Playa del Carmen
$374 139% $218
Clothing & Footwear
Nabeul
$116
Playa del Carmen
$113 2.9% $3.3
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nabeul
$90
Playa del Carmen
$137 52.5% $47
Eating Out
Nabeul
$81
Playa del Carmen
$202 150% $121
Sport & Entertainment
Nabeul
$41
Playa del Carmen
$73 79% $32
Getting Around
Nabeul
$5.2 *
Playa del Carmen
$53 907% $47

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $228 in Nabeul and $1,008 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 196% 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: $20.00 in Nabeul vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $258 per month, with Nabeul cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇳 Nabeul
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
13:34 1:34 PM
07:34 7:34 AM
6 h behind Nabeul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
73,128
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to TND – Tunisian Dinar Converter

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 2.99 TND (1 TND = 0.334 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 TND (1 TND = 0.297 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nabeul Playa del Carmen 9,320 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nabeul
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Nabeul vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Nabeul or Playa del Carmen?
Nabeul wins on cost – living expenses run 79% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nabeul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Nabeul or in Playa del Carmen?
On paper, salaries run 196% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Nabeul compared to Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $228 in Nabeul versus $1,008 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Nabeul and in Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $60.3 in Nabeul versus $204 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Nabeul and in Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Nabeul – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Nabeul or in Playa del Carmen?
At $678 in Nabeul versus $1,210 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nabeul but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Nabeul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Nabeul or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Nabeul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $678 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nabeul hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Nabeul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Nabeul vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?