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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,769 in Gibraltar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,382 in Gibraltar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,994 in Gibraltar.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 53% less than in Gibraltar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Gibraltar is 107% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$20.15 GIP 14.96

-41.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$110 GIP 82.0

-62.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$14.33 GIP 10.64

-25.75%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.48 GIP 2.58

1.15%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.64 GIP 1.22

-7.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.94 GIP 1.44

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$5.45 GIP 4.04

-45.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.32 GIP 3.21

3.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.99 GIP 1.47

-30.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.96 GIP 1.46

-3.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$3.69 GIP 2.74

-55.56%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$5.21 GIP 3.87

-51.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.86 GIP 8.07

-23.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.08 GIP 6.74

-8.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$13.91 GIP 10.32

-22.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.56 GIP 2.64

-26.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$3.47 GIP 2.58

-57.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.66 GIP 2.72

-48.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.94 GIP 2.18

-29.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.65 GIP 1.97

-32.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.33 GIP 1.73

-6.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.78 GIP 1.32

-41.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.12 GIP 0.84

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.84 GIP 3.59

-15.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$11.40 GIP 8.46

-9.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.47 GIP 1.83

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.36 GIP 1.75

9.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$2.43 GIP 1.80

-79.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$9.71 GIP 7.21

-66.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$2.48 GIP 1.84

0.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$13.37 GIP 9.93

-75.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.61 GIP 1.20

-18.63%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$46.6K GIP 34.6K

-35.02%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$31.8K GIP 23.6K

-26.43%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$134 GIP 99.4

-38.12%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$33.38 GIP 24.78

-33.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$64.3 GIP 47.74

-54.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$79.6 GIP 59.1

-35.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$3.46 GIP 2.57

429.48%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$13.79 GIP 10.24

-63.23%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$799 GIP 594

-74.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$137 GIP 102

-73.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$45.81 GIP 34.01

-13.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$102 GIP 75.5

-22.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$96.2 GIP 71.4

-9.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$1,788 GIP 1,327

-45.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$1,661 GIP 1,233

-71.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$3,611 GIP 2,681

-54.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$3,235 GIP 2,402

-62.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$13.6K GIP 10.1K

-70.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$8,004 GIP 5,942

-18.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$2,861 GIP 2,124

-76.79%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Gibraltar: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $1,788 in Gibraltar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gibraltar pays 331% 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 $110 in Gibraltar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $336 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 114% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $2,769 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Gibraltar earns 331% less. 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,788 in Gibraltar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Gibraltar. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,769 in Gibraltar – a 114% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,769 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 114% less than in Gibraltar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.