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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $560 in Gabes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $879 in Gabes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,199 in Gabes, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 127% more than Gabes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Gabes are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Gabes 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$2.78 TND 8.12

326.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$18.87 TND 55.1

127.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.62 TND 10.55

194.20%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$0.82 TND 2.40

320.73%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.65 TND 1.90

130.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.25 TND 0.72

280.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.22 TND 3.55

148.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$1.57 TND 4.58

193.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.48 TND 1.40

187.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.16 TND 0.45

1056.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.28 TND 3.73

25.78%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.71 TND 5.00

51.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$12.24 TND 35.70

-32.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.67 TND 16.54

47.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$14.07 TND 41.06

-24.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.56 TND 4.56

68.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.95 TND 8.61

-49.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.86 TND 2.51

123.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.57 TND 1.67

266.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.66 TND 1.94

181.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.61 TND 1.78

270.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.33 TND 0.96

221.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.31 TND 0.91

251.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.33 TND 9.72

24.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$3.51 TND 10.24

196.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.69 TND 2.01

149.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$0.89 TND 2.59

193.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.21 TND 0.62

157.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$6.83 TND 19.94

294.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.29 TND 0.84

979.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.22 TND 0.63

1040.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$6.13 TND 17.88

-48.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.89 TND 2.59

42.70%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$45.8K TND 133.8K

-33.75%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$28.4K TND 82.9K

-17.09%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$63.5 TND 185

30.75%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$7.60 TND 22.17

198.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$16.77 TND 48.93

75.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$31.63 TND 92.3

61.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$4.87 TND 14.21

276.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.32 TND 18.44

-21.99%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$58.2 TND 170

238.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$3,168 TND 9,243

66.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$32.62 TND 95.2

13.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$39.98 TND 117

-0.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$76.4 TND 223

4.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$84.4 TND 246

6.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$113 TND 330

745.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$70.5 TND 206

576.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$204 TND 596

705.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$118 TND 343

940.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$998 TND 2,913

292.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$639 TND 1,864

910.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$417 TND 1,216

60.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-4.83%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Gabes: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $113 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 60% 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 $19.00 in Gabes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $178 – 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 127%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $840 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 $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $58.2 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 $560, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.