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: $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $581 in Kelibia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,130 in Playa del Carmen versus $944 in Kelibia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,999 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,306 in Kelibia.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 117% more expensive than 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

$11.67 MX$202

$2.78 TND 8.00

319.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$13.40 TND 38.58

212.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$3.43 TND 9.89

203.21%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$0.61 TND 1.77

491.80%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.50 TND 1.43

194.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.23 TND 0.66

295.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$1.55 TND 4.47

95.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$1.99 TND 5.73

124.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$0.41 TND 1.18

236.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$0.19 TND 0.53

868.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$1.50 TND 4.32

7.33%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$1.65 TND 4.77

55.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$11.37 TND 32.76

-25.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$5.54 TND 15.95

53.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$13.71 TND 39.48

-19.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$1.16 TND 3.35

135.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$2.70 TND 7.77

-44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$0.73 TND 2.11

168.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$0.65 TND 1.88

226.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$0.65 TND 1.88

186.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$0.73 TND 2.09

197.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.52 TND 1.50

105.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.26 TND 0.74

303.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$3.32 TND 9.56

26.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$5.20 TND 14.98

97.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.11 TND 3.19

50.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$1.10 TND 3.18

126.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.35 TND 1.02

54.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$10.35 TND 29.81

153.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.31 TND 0.89

900.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.33 TND 0.96

645.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$7.30 TND 21.03

-55.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$0.85 TND 2.44

48.24%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$35.1K TND 101.0K

-14.02%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$34.9K TND 100.5K

-32.82%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$46.00 TND 132

82.59%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$9.43 TND 27.16

135.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$14.94 TND 43.04

98.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$16.37 TND 47.14

221.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$12.81 TND 36.89

43.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$3.30 TND 9.50

50.00%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$108 TND 311

83.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$2,480 TND 7,142

114.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$45.43 TND 131

-20.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$43.94 TND 127

-8.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$102 TND 293

-22.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$65.4 TND 188

32.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$198 TND 571

392.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$134 TND 385

251.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$379 TND 1,091

320.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$274 TND 789

343.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$980 TND 2,821

311.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$634 TND 1,827

937.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$248 TND 715

187.81%

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Kelibia: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Playa del Carmen and $198 in Kelibia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 188% 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 in Playa del Carmen vs $13 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 117% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 188% 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: $977 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 154% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $198 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 $581 in Kelibia versus $1,261 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 117% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.