Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ksar Hellal Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ksar Hellal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $736 in Ksar Hellal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,148 in Ksar Hellal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,560 in Ksar Hellal, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 72% more than Ksar Hellal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ksar Hellal are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Ksar Hellal 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$4.67 TND 13.58

148.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$21.97 TND 63.9

114.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$6.35 TND 18.48

87.09%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$1.11 TND 3.24

258.56%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$0.82 TND 2.38

74.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.36 TND 1.05

127.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$1.69 TND 4.92

88.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.69 TND 4.93

301.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$0.48 TND 1.41

250.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$0.15 TND 0.42

1366.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.32 TND 3.85

29.55%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$1.71 TND 4.98

60.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$10.47 TND 30.46

-8.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.74 TND 16.71

56.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$14.59 TND 42.43

-12.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$1.92 TND 5.58

50.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$3.70 TND 10.75

-59.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$1.08 TND 3.15

99.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$0.76 TND 2.22

197.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$0.84 TND 2.43

135.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$0.71 TND 2.06

180.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$0.43 TND 1.25

186.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.34 TND 0.98

252.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$3.73 TND 10.85

21.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$5.23 TND 15.21

98.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$1.00 TND 2.90

62.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$1.14 TND 3.31

152.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$0.36 TND 1.04

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$10.33 TND 30.05

178.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$0.33 TND 0.95

1533.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$0.34 TND 0.99

997.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$1.82 TND 5.29

217.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$0.85 TND 2.46

81.18%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$40.3K TND 117.1K

-43.99%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$37.2K TND 108.1K

-29.88%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$70.4 TND 205

29.73%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$9.08 TND 26.42

177.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$17.79 TND 51.7

75.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$27.21 TND 79.2

146.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$13.94 TND 40.55

108.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$6.23 TND 18.11

-21.99%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$100 TND 291

123.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$3,112 TND 9,054

35.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$46.74 TND 136

0.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$66.4 TND 193

-33.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$110 TND 321

-27.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$86.5 TND 252

7.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$214 TND 623

395.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$157 TND 457

148.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$372 TND 1,081

478.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$273 TND 795

365.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$985 TND 2,865

306.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$634 TND 1,844

925.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$307 TND 894

146.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.28

11.38%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Ksar Hellal: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $214 in Ksar Hellal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 147% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $22.00 in Ksar Hellal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $190 – making Ksar Hellal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Ksar Hellal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 72% more than Ksar Hellal, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,104 in Ksar Hellal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ksar Hellal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 179% less in Ksar Hellal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $100 in Ksar Hellal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ksar Hellal, where all-in costs run around $736, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Ksar Hellal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ksar Hellal costs $736 versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Ksar Hellal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.