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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $625 in Kelibia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $971 in Kelibia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,316 in Kelibia.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 109% more expensive than in Kelibia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Kelibia 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$2.70 TND 7.78

342.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$13.69 TND 39.49

246.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$3.41 TND 9.83

244.57%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$0.62 TND 1.78

564.52%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.49 TND 1.41

185.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.28 TND 0.81

225.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.59 TND 4.59

101.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.11 TND 6.08

235.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.42 TND 1.21

300.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.17 TND 0.50

1164.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.39 TND 4.01

27.34%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.68 TND 4.84

67.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$12.65 TND 36.51

-27.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$5.57 TND 16.08

65.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$14.42 TND 41.61

-12.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.22 TND 3.51

141.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$2.80 TND 8.08

-43.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$0.74 TND 2.12

200.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.68 TND 1.96

247.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.70 TND 2.03

184.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.82 TND 2.37

141.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.55 TND 1.59

125.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.26 TND 0.74

365.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$3.46 TND 9.98

32.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$6.76 TND 19.52

55.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.21 TND 3.49

39.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.11 TND 3.21

149.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.35 TND 1.02

71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$9.74 TND 28.12

204.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.32 TND 0.93

1537.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.32 TND 0.94

1040.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$7.43 TND 21.45

-22.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.86 TND 2.47

79.07%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$37.5K TND 108.3K

-39.23%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$35.8K TND 103.4K

-27.96%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$46.32 TND 134

95.75%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$9.55 TND 27.54

163.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$15.02 TND 43.35

111.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$16.55 TND 47.75

315.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$12.57 TND 36.28

133.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$3.49 TND 10.06

39.26%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$99.2 TND 286

127.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$2,543 TND 7,339

64.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$43.47 TND 125

8.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$37.56 TND 108

15.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$114 TND 329

-29.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$68.6 TND 198

33.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$219 TND 631

396.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$147 TND 425

177.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$434 TND 1,251

354.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$245 TND 706

423.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$995 TND 2,871

306.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$635 TND 1,831

956.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$240 TND 694

221.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

13.6

-15.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kelibia: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $219 in Kelibia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 222% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $14.00 in Kelibia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $187 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 109% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 222% 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: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $219 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 205% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $226 in Playa del Carmen versus $99.2 in Kelibia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $625 in Kelibia versus $1,305 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 109% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.