Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Gabes Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Gabes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,239 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $518 in Gabes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,168 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $832 in Gabes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,096 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,147 in Gabes, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 139% more than Gabes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Gabes are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 8% lower, Gabes 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.17 MX$203

$2.75 TND 8.24

306.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.61 MX$809

$17.08 TND 51.2

161.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.91 MX$216

$3.62 TND 10.83

229.01%

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$69.2

$0.84 TND 2.50

353.57%

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

$1.38 MX$24.96

$0.63 TND 1.88

119.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 MX$14.45

$0.25 TND 0.75

220.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$56.5

$1.22 TND 3.67

155.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 MX$90.1

$1.55 TND 4.65

220.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$27.40

$0.45 TND 1.34

235.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 MX$40.74

$0.23 TND 0.69

878.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MX$27.33

$1.88 TND 5.62

-19.68%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$44.69

$1.45 TND 4.34

69.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 MX$136

$12.45 TND 37.28

-39.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.07 MX$146

$5.94 TND 17.79

35.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 MX$237

$14.85 TND 44.46

-11.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 MX$51.4

$1.69 TND 5.05

67.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MX$26.76

$2.95 TND 8.83

-50.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 MX$48.87

$0.95 TND 2.84

183.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$37.73

$0.90 TND 2.68

131.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$35.49

$0.89 TND 2.65

120.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$36.48

$0.57 TND 1.69

252.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MX$21.95

$0.35 TND 1.05

245.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 MX$22.33

$0.32 TND 0.97

284.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 MX$81.0

$3.34 TND 10.00

33.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.98 MX$181

$3.48 TND 10.42

186.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 MX$29.60

$0.73 TND 2.19

123.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 MX$50.8

$0.82 TND 2.46

241.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 MX$10.49

$0.19 TND 0.57

205.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.28 MX$513

$6.87 TND 20.56

311.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 MX$88.1

$0.32 TND 0.97

1415.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 MX$63.5

$0.18 TND 0.54

1844.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 MX$103

$4.04 TND 12.10

39.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$26.41

$0.82 TND 2.44

78.05%

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

$21.4K MX$388.2K

$40.7K TND 121.9K

-47.43%

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

$24.0K MX$435.2K

$28.9K TND 86.5K

-16.92%

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

$86.3 MX$1,566

$45.17 TND 135

91.12%

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

$23.96 MX$435

$7.48 TND 22.41

220.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.93 MX$525

$16.84 TND 50.4

71.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 MX$1,173

$31.76 TND 95.1

103.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.07 MX$527

$4.75 TND 14.21

512.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.13 MX$93.1

$3.39 TND 10.14

51.33%

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

$211 MX$3,835

$57.0 TND 171

270.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$73.4K

$2,000 TND 5,988

102.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 MX$803

$32.46 TND 97.2

36.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.35 MX$787

$40.63 TND 122

6.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 MX$1,395

$75.0 TND 225

2.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 MX$1,604

$67.8 TND 203

30.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$996 MX$18.1K

$114 TND 342

771.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 MX$6,869

$70.9 TND 212

433.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,767 MX$32.1K

$206 TND 616

759.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 MX$20.4K

$117 TND 352

859.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,010 MX$72.8K

$981 TND 2,938

308.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,392 MX$116.0K

$634 TND 1,899

908.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$768 MX$13.9K

$411 TND 1,232

86.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-4.58%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 27, 2026

Last update for Gabes: September 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $996 in Playa del Carmen versus $114 in Gabes. 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 87% 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 $45.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $17.00 in Gabes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $187 – making Gabes 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 Gabes: 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 $1,859 per month in Playa del Carmen and $776 in Gabes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gabes, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $211 per month in Playa del Carmen and $57.0 in Gabes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gabes, where all-in costs run around $518, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,239. In Gabes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Gabes. 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.