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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $593 in Kelibia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $938 in Kelibia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,282 in Kelibia.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 114% more expensive than Kelibia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Kelibia 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$2.69 TND 7.80

341.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$13.81 TND 40.12

210.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$3.44 TND 9.98

209.59%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$0.60 TND 1.75

475.00%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$0.52 TND 1.52

188.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$0.23 TND 0.66

313.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$1.55 TND 4.51

95.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

$1.94 TND 5.63

137.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$0.45 TND 1.31

206.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.18 TND 0.51

927.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$1.53 TND 4.46

5.23%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$1.65 TND 4.78

56.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$11.41 TND 33.14

-27.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$5.85 TND 16.98

43.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$13.56 TND 39.38

-21.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$1.17 TND 3.39

124.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$2.65 TND 7.69

-43.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$0.78 TND 2.25

146.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$0.66 TND 1.93

216.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$0.66 TND 1.93

181.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$0.76 TND 2.21

197.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$0.52 TND 1.52

103.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$0.28 TND 0.82

289.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$3.41 TND 9.89

21.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$5.02 TND 14.59

106.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$1.10 TND 3.20

56.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

$1.06 TND 3.09

146.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

$0.32 TND 0.94

68.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

$10.12 TND 29.41

166.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$0.31 TND 0.91

909.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$0.30 TND 0.88

736.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$7.44 TND 21.61

-57.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$0.89 TND 2.57

42.70%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$36.0K TND 104.6K

-15.61%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$34.8K TND 101.0K

-32.22%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$44.91 TND 130

84.81%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$9.66 TND 28.06

135.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$14.56 TND 42.30

102.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

$16.28 TND 47.31

213.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

$12.84 TND 37.31

42.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$3.47 TND 10.07

42.07%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$108 TND 314

82.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$2,531 TND 7,353

108.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$44.58 TND 130

-17.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$44.80 TND 130

-10.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$103 TND 298

-21.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$64.4 TND 187

38.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$198 TND 576

382.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

$136 TND 396

250.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$373 TND 1,082

341.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

$266 TND 773

360.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

$1,021 TND 2,967

283.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

$635 TND 1,844

917.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

$243 TND 706

174.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.6

-16.03%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kelibia: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $198 in Kelibia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 175% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $14.00 in Kelibia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $178 per month, with Kelibia 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 Kelibia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kelibia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 114% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 175% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $198 in Kelibia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kelibia runs roughly 166% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $108 in Kelibia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $593 in Kelibia versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kelibia but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Kelibia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kelibia is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Kelibia 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 Kelibia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 114% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.