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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $556 in Gabes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $870 in Gabes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,184 in Gabes, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 131% more than Gabes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Gabes are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Gabes 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$2.88 TND 8.32

314.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$18.87 TND 54.5

126.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$3.48 TND 10.07

204.31%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$0.83 TND 2.41

336.14%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.70 TND 2.03

110.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.25 TND 0.72

276.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.22 TND 3.53

153.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.61 TND 4.66

177.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.45 TND 1.31

217.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.19 TND 0.56

889.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.33 TND 3.83

22.56%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.73 TND 5.01

52.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$12.22 TND 35.32

-32.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.70 TND 16.48

45.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$13.63 TND 39.40

-18.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.52 TND 4.38

74.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.83 TND 8.17

-47.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.94 TND 2.73

111.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.58 TND 1.67

258.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.71 TND 2.05

152.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.61 TND 1.75

257.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.36 TND 1.03

200.00%

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

$3.29 TND 9.52

20.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$3.38 TND 9.77

201.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$0.68 TND 1.96

154.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$0.87 TND 2.51

187.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.19 TND 0.56

173.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$6.76 TND 19.55

298.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.29 TND 0.83

982.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.21 TND 0.60

1042.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$6.19 TND 17.89

-50.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.89 TND 2.57

42.70%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$46.3K TND 133.9K

-33.33%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$29.2K TND 84.3K

-20.11%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$64.0 TND 185

28.16%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$7.43 TND 21.48

202.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$17.01 TND 49.17

74.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$31.85 TND 92.0

62.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$4.83 TND 13.96

286.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.27 TND 18.11

-20.73%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$57.8 TND 167

242.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,201 TND 9,250

64.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$31.91 TND 92.2

13.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$40.45 TND 117

-0.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$76.8 TND 222

3.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$83.4 TND 241

6.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$116 TND 336

729.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$72.5 TND 210

540.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$207 TND 598

671.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$120 TND 346

910.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$958 TND 2,770

311.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$641 TND 1,854

905.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$423 TND 1,224

70.13%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Gabes: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $116 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 70% 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: $251 vs $176 – 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 131%, 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 $834 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 $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $57.8 in Gabes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% 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 $556, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.