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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $578 in Gafsa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $884 in Gafsa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,189 in Gafsa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 124% more than Gafsa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Gafsa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Gafsa 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.95 TND 11.47

196.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$9.86 TND 28.63

322.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$2.61 TND 7.59

307.66%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$0.61 TND 1.77

477.05%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.52 TND 1.52

190.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.23 TND 0.66

321.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.66 TND 4.82

77.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.75 TND 7.99

61.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.46 TND 1.33

200.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.14 TND 0.41

1250.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.71 TND 4.96

-4.09%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.01 TND 2.93

148.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.44 TND 30.30

-20.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.97 TND 17.34

39.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.39 TND 33.06

-5.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.42 TND 4.13

83.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$3.21 TND 9.32

-54.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.81 TND 2.35

134.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.76 TND 2.21

173.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.76 TND 2.20

134.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.52 TND 1.51

321.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.46 TND 1.34

126.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.30 TND 0.87

260.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.49 TND 7.22

63.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$7.78 TND 22.58

32.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.32 TND 3.84

29.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.64 TND 4.75

57.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.35 TND 1.02

45.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$11.09 TND 32.21

138.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.29 TND 0.84

1024.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.22 TND 0.64

1031.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$3.31 TND 9.62

-1.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.89 TND 2.58

47.19%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$39.2K TND 114.0K

-22.85%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$32.4K TND 94.0K

-27.60%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$40.97 TND 119

102.27%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$8.71 TND 25.30

155.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$19.21 TND 55.8

52.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$15.27 TND 44.34

238.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$12.58 TND 36.52

45.63%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.32 TND 15.45

-4.70%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$60.6 TND 176

231.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,006 TND 2,920

418.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$40.91 TND 119

-9.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$53.3 TND 155

-25.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$97.1 TND 282

-19.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$80.7 TND 234

7.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$143 TND 415

580.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$101 TND 292

364.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$211 TND 614

676.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$150 TND 437

711.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,014 TND 2,945

289.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$356 TND 1,034

1724.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$302 TND 878

119.64%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Gafsa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $143 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 120% 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 $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 124%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $868 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 $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $60.6 in Gafsa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% 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 $578, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.