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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $537 in El Kef, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $884 in El Kef, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,230 in El Kef, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 139% 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 4% lower, El Kef 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.45 TND 9.96

246.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$13.48 TND 38.95

217.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$3.36 TND 9.72

215.18%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$0.70 TND 2.01

417.14%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.49 TND 1.41

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.23 TND 0.66

308.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$0.93 TND 2.69

232.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.04 TND 3.00

328.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.48 TND 1.40

197.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.17 TND 0.49

1005.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.49 TND 4.30

9.40%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.53 TND 4.42

72.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$11.49 TND 33.22

-28.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.69 TND 16.43

45.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$13.37 TND 38.63

-16.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.15 TND 6.20

23.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.66 TND 4.79

-9.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.04 TND 3.00

91.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.64 TND 1.84

225.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.43 TND 1.23

316.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.18 TND 0.51

1111.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.51 TND 1.48

111.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.29 TND 0.83

258.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$3.33 TND 9.61

19.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$4.40 TND 12.72

131.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$0.66 TND 1.90

162.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$0.95 TND 2.74

163.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.33 TND 0.95

57.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$10.14 TND 29.31

165.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.32 TND 0.93

881.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.27 TND 0.77

788.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$7.28 TND 21.03

-57.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.79 TND 2.28

60.76%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$35.8K TND 103.4K

-13.69%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$35.1K TND 101.3K

-33.50%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$26.80 TND 77.5

206.01%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$9.78 TND 28.28

129.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$14.03 TND 40.56

111.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$28.95 TND 83.7

79.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$12.94 TND 37.39

44.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$4.60 TND 13.30

8.04%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$67.2 TND 194

194.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$2,471 TND 7,141

113.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$24.01 TND 69.4

51.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$43.38 TND 125

-7.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$40.31 TND 116

98.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$66.3 TND 192

34.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$194 TND 561

396.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$138 TND 398

237.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$378 TND 1,091

322.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$273 TND 788

343.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$898 TND 2,596

338.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$600 TND 1,735

973.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$175 TND 505

312.46%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for El Kef: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $194 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 312% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $13.00 in El Kef. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $171 – 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 139%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $806 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 166% less in El Kef. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $67.2 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 $537, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.