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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $563 in Gafsa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $862 in Gafsa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,160 in Gafsa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 123% more than Gafsa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Gafsa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Gafsa 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.85 TND 11.27

211.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$9.65 TND 28.24

332.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$2.59 TND 7.57

315.06%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$0.58 TND 1.69

503.45%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.53 TND 1.55

173.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.23 TND 0.67

282.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.73 TND 5.05

70.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.75 TND 8.04

64.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.49 TND 1.44

191.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.13 TND 0.38

1315.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.73 TND 5.05

-9.25%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.06 TND 3.11

136.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$10.62 TND 31.08

-22.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.00 TND 17.55

40.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$11.29 TND 33.04

-5.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.47 TND 4.29

77.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$3.20 TND 9.38

-55.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.87 TND 2.55

125.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.70 TND 2.06

198.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.75 TND 2.18

146.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.52 TND 1.51

317.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.47 TND 1.37

119.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.28 TND 0.81

282.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.51 TND 7.33

63.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$6.64 TND 19.42

53.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.30 TND 3.79

29.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.59 TND 4.64

59.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.35 TND 1.03

45.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$11.03 TND 32.26

136.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.29 TND 0.84

1013.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.24 TND 0.70

904.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$3.29 TND 9.64

-1.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.87 TND 2.55

51.72%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$38.5K TND 112.6K

-22.84%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$31.6K TND 92.5K

-25.11%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$41.17 TND 120

99.20%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$8.66 TND 25.34

165.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$19.54 TND 57.2

54.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$15.53 TND 45.44

234.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$12.61 TND 36.90

46.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.43 TND 15.89

-8.29%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$61.4 TND 180

221.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$1,011 TND 2,957

427.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$41.38 TND 121

-13.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$52.5 TND 154

-23.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$98.2 TND 287

-19.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$80.9 TND 237

9.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$146 TND 426

550.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$100 TND 293

373.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$213 TND 623

672.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$155 TND 453

682.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$960 TND 2,808

322.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$359 TND 1,051

1701.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$309 TND 903

111.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.88

28.60%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Gafsa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $146 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 112% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $10.00 in Gafsa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $178 – 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 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $844 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 $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $61.4 in Gafsa. 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 Gafsa, where all-in costs run around $563, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.