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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $585 in El Kef, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $913 in El Kef, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,242 in El Kef, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 123% 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 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$3.39 TND 9.79

252.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$13.45 TND 38.81

252.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$5.18 TND 14.93

126.83%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$0.72 TND 2.08

472.22%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.52 TND 1.50

169.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.25 TND 0.72

264.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$0.91 TND 2.63

252.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$1.01 TND 2.92

600.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.44 TND 1.28

281.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.23 TND 0.66

834.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.35 TND 3.89

31.11%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.58 TND 4.56

78.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$12.56 TND 36.25

-26.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$5.89 TND 17.01

56.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$14.60 TND 42.13

-13.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.86 TND 5.36

58.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.67 TND 4.82

-5.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.02 TND 2.94

117.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.61 TND 1.75

286.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.40 TND 1.15

397.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.16 TND 0.46

1137.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.55 TND 1.57

125.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.30 TND 0.86

303.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$3.45 TND 9.97

33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$4.39 TND 12.67

139.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$0.70 TND 2.02

141.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$0.97 TND 2.80

185.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.36 TND 1.03

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$10.39 TND 29.98

185.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.34 TND 0.99

1441.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.29 TND 0.83

1158.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$7.76 TND 22.39

-25.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.86 TND 2.47

79.07%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$38.0K TND 109.7K

-40.04%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$36.1K TND 104.2K

-28.54%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$27.45 TND 79.2

230.31%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$9.55 TND 27.56

163.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$14.37 TND 41.45

120.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$24.02 TND 69.3

186.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$13.03 TND 37.59

125.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.56 TND 13.15

6.58%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$68.9 TND 199

227.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$2,525 TND 7,285

66.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$24.09 TND 69.5

96.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$36.74 TND 106

18.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$40.42 TND 117

98.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$69.4 TND 200

31.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$243 TND 702

346.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$152 TND 437

169.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$382 TND 1,103

415.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$281 TND 812

355.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,098 TND 3,168

268.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$582 TND 1,679

1052.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$172 TND 495

350.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

13.6

-15.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for El Kef: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $243 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 351% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $13.00 in El Kef. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $177 – 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 123%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $878 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 186% less in El Kef. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $68.9 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 $585, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.