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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,816 in Gibraltar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,441 in Gibraltar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $6,065 in Gibraltar.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 55% less than in Gibraltar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Gibraltar is 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$20.65 GIP 15.35

-41.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$108 GIP 80.5

-61.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$14.65 GIP 10.89

-26.62%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$3.53 GIP 2.63

-0.85%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.73 GIP 1.28

-16.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$1.96 GIP 1.45

-55.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$5.50 GIP 4.09

-46.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$4.35 GIP 3.23

3.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.96 GIP 1.46

-27.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$2.04 GIP 1.52

-9.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$3.71 GIP 2.76

-57.68%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$5.18 GIP 3.85

-51.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$10.67 GIP 7.93

-22.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$8.75 GIP 6.50

-3.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$14.28 GIP 10.62

-25.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$3.53 GIP 2.62

-26.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$3.32 GIP 2.46

-56.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$3.71 GIP 2.76

-47.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$2.91 GIP 2.16

-28.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$2.60 GIP 1.93

-28.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.34 GIP 1.74

-7.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.77 GIP 1.31

-41.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.13 GIP 0.84

-5.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$4.75 GIP 3.53

-13.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$11.51 GIP 8.56

-11.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$2.36 GIP 1.75

-28.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.32 GIP 1.72

9.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$2.42 GIP 1.80

-78.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$9.40 GIP 6.99

-65.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$2.57 GIP 1.91

-6.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$13.77 GIP 10.24

-76.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.58 GIP 1.18

-16.46%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$46.4K GIP 34.5K

-36.03%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$31.4K GIP 23.4K

-24.75%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$134 GIP 99.5

-38.73%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$33.28 GIP 24.74

-31.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$63.9 GIP 47.49

-52.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$79.4 GIP 59.0

-34.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$3.37 GIP 2.50

449.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$13.51 GIP 10.04

-63.14%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$782 GIP 581

-74.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$137 GIP 102

-74.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$44.29 GIP 32.92

-8.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$100 GIP 74.7

-21.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$95.3 GIP 70.8

-6.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$1,778 GIP 1,322

-46.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$1,672 GIP 1,243

-71.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$3,622 GIP 2,693

-54.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$3,198 GIP 2,378

-62.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$13.5K GIP 10.0K

-69.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$7,997 GIP 5,945

-19.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$2,839 GIP 2,111

-76.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.6

217.22%

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 Gibraltar: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $1,778 in Gibraltar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gibraltar pays 334% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $108 in Gibraltar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $334 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Gibraltar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Gibraltar differ by about 124% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $2,816 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 334% lower in Gibraltar. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,778 in Gibraltar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Gibraltar. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,816 in Gibraltar – a 124% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,816 in Gibraltar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Gibraltar. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Gibraltar are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 124% less than in Gibraltar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.