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: $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $578 in Kelibia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,177 in Playa del Carmen versus $930 in Kelibia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,095 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,283 in Kelibia.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 118% more expensive than in Kelibia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Kelibia 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$208

$2.78 TND 8.20

329.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$731

$13.78 TND 40.72

204.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$182

$3.30 TND 9.74

215.76%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.3

$0.56 TND 1.66

526.79%

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

$1.52 MX$26.44

$0.49 TND 1.45

210.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.88

$0.23 TND 0.67

295.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$53.0

$1.55 TND 4.58

96.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.2

$1.93 TND 5.70

126.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.78

$0.41 TND 1.21

246.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.93

$0.19 TND 0.55

863.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.51

$1.48 TND 4.38

10.14%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.29

$1.60 TND 4.72

58.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$149

$11.32 TND 33.45

-24.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$5.66 TND 16.74

50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$188

$13.37 TND 39.51

-19.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$48.04

$1.17 TND 3.45

135.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.05

$2.78 TND 8.23

-48.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.90

$0.79 TND 2.35

139.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.84

$0.65 TND 1.93

233.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.03

$0.67 TND 1.97

165.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.79

$0.71 TND 2.11

212.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.64

$0.49 TND 1.43

118.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.83

$0.26 TND 0.76

315.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.3

$3.41 TND 10.07

21.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$182

$5.00 TND 14.77

109.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.40

$1.10 TND 3.25

58.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.01

$1.07 TND 3.15

141.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.95

$0.35 TND 1.03

45.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$452

$10.05 TND 29.68

158.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$56.0

$0.29 TND 0.85

1006.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.64

$0.31 TND 0.91

706.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.6

$7.41 TND 21.90

-56.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.91

$0.84 TND 2.50

50.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.7K

$35.8K TND 105.8K

-17.08%

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

$23.7K MX$413.0K

$35.4K TND 104.5K

-33.06%

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

$82.0 MX$1,430

$45.98 TND 136

78.40%

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

$22.73 MX$396

$9.48 TND 28.01

139.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$513

$15.08 TND 44.56

95.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$910

$16.05 TND 47.42

225.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$322

$12.50 TND 36.93

47.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$3.42 TND 10.09

44.15%

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

$202 MX$3,519

$110 TND 326

82.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$91.0K

$2,501 TND 7,390

108.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$627

$43.95 TND 130

-18.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$703

$43.34 TND 128

-6.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,393

$99.7 TND 294

-19.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,557

$63.9 TND 189

39.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.5K

$196 TND 580

383.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,114

$138 TND 407

238.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

$371 TND 1,096

339.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

$269 TND 794

343.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.6K

$966 TND 2,855

307.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.1K

$640 TND 1,892

903.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

$240 TND 708

174.70%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Kelibia: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $948 in Playa del Carmen and $196 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $14.00 in Kelibia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $176 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 118% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 175% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $196 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 158% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $202 in Playa del Carmen versus $110 in Kelibia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $578 in Kelibia versus $1,259 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 118% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.