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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $577 in Gafsa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $886 in Gafsa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,195 in Gafsa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 126% more than Gafsa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$3.86 TND 11.14

209.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$10.17 TND 29.35

365.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$2.50 TND 7.21

370.00%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$0.59 TND 1.70

598.31%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.49 TND 1.40

185.71%

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

$1.69 TND 4.88

89.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.80 TND 8.07

152.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.52 TND 1.51

223.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.15 TND 0.43

1333.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.67 TND 4.82

5.99%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.08 TND 3.12

161.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$10.10 TND 29.13

-8.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.07 TND 17.50

52.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$11.55 TND 33.32

9.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.49 TND 4.31

97.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$3.24 TND 9.35

-51.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$0.89 TND 2.56

149.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.78 TND 2.24

202.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.76 TND 2.19

161.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.49 TND 1.41

304.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.53 TND 1.52

133.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.30 TND 0.88

303.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.50 TND 7.23

84.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$6.96 TND 20.07

51.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.37 TND 3.95

23.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.58 TND 4.55

75.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.33 TND 0.95

81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$11.33 TND 32.69

162.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.32 TND 0.93

1537.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.24 TND 0.69

1420.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$1.87 TND 5.39

209.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.89 TND 2.57

73.03%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$39.9K TND 115.1K

-42.86%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$32.4K TND 93.5K

-20.33%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$40.44 TND 117

124.21%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$8.79 TND 25.37

186.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$19.90 TND 57.4

59.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$15.13 TND 43.66

354.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$14.06 TND 40.58

108.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$6.02 TND 17.37

-19.27%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$60.8 TND 176

271.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$1,012 TND 2,921

314.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$40.37 TND 116

17.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$55.0 TND 159

-20.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$108 TND 311

-25.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$86.6 TND 250

5.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$148 TND 427

634.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$103 TND 296

298.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$211 TND 609

834.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$154 TND 445

730.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$994 TND 2,869

306.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$354 TND 1,021

1793.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$314 TND 905

146.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

8.88

28.94%

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 Gafsa: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $148 in Gafsa. 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 147% 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 $10.00 in Gafsa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $180 – making Gafsa 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 Gafsa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 126%, 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 $866 in Gafsa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $60.8 in Gafsa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% 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 Gafsa, where all-in costs run around $577, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Gafsa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gafsa – 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 Gafsa. 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.