Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and El Kef Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and El Kef

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $542 in El Kef, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $887 in El Kef, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,232 in El Kef, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 133% more than El Kef, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and El Kef are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, El Kef 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$3.46 TND 10.22

238.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$13.33 TND 39.34

214.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$3.32 TND 9.80

216.57%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$0.66 TND 1.94

443.94%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.53 TND 1.56

184.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.25 TND 0.74

268.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$0.92 TND 2.73

221.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$1.00 TND 2.96

341.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$0.48 TND 1.41

191.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$0.17 TND 0.51

1005.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.48 TND 4.36

5.41%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$1.54 TND 4.53

69.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$11.08 TND 32.70

-24.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$5.66 TND 16.70

47.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$13.42 TND 39.60

-19.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$2.17 TND 6.40

24.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.74 TND 5.12

-13.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.03 TND 3.05

81.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$0.64 TND 1.89

242.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$0.40 TND 1.17

365.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$0.15 TND 0.43

1386.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.48 TND 1.41

122.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.29 TND 0.84

275.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$3.40 TND 10.04

23.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$4.43 TND 13.09

135.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$0.65 TND 1.91

155.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$1.00 TND 2.96

161.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.35 TND 1.04

54.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$10.13 TND 29.90

158.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.32 TND 0.95

862.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.29 TND 0.86

727.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$7.62 TND 22.49

-58.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$0.78 TND 2.29

67.95%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$35.2K TND 103.8K

-15.30%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$34.8K TND 102.6K

-32.93%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$26.70 TND 78.8

204.42%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$9.48 TND 27.99

137.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$14.07 TND 41.51

113.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$29.03 TND 85.7

82.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$12.66 TND 37.37

45.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$4.48 TND 13.21

9.82%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$68.5 TND 202

193.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$2,473 TND 7,297

109.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$24.09 TND 71.1

49.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$44.09 TND 130

-8.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$41.42 TND 122

92.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$65.1 TND 192

32.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$198 TND 583

394.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$133 TND 392

253.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$374 TND 1,105

341.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$268 TND 790

349.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$1,048 TND 3,094

277.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$702 TND 2,071

841.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$169 TND 498

300.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.6

-16.03%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for El Kef: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $198 in El Kef. 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 301% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $13.00 in El Kef. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $170 – making El Kef 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 133%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $813 in El Kef. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Kef, 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 El Kef. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $68.5 in El Kef. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in El Kef, where all-in costs run around $542, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In El Kef it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward El Kef – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 El Kef. 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.