Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Le Bardo

For one person, living is cheaper in Le Bardo: $699 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Le Bardo, Tunisia
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Le Bardo
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$699
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Le Bardo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Le Bardo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $699 in Le Bardo, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Le Bardo $699

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,095 in Le Bardo, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Le Bardo $1,095

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,491 in Le Bardo, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Le Bardo $1,491

Playa del Carmen costs about 72% more than Le Bardo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Le Bardo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Le Bardo 49% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Le Bardo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$4.59 TND 13.81
137.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$814
$21.44 TND 64.4
102.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$4.80 TND 14.41
145.42%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.5
$1.33 TND 3.99
186.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.07
$0.60 TND 1.80
113.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.70
$0.26 TND 0.78
200.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.5
$1.66 TND 4.99
90.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$2.41 TND 7.23
104.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Le Bardo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.40
$0.48 TND 1.43
193.75%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.62
$0.21 TND 0.62
957.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.61
$1.65 TND 4.96
-13.94%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.36
$1.48 TND 4.46
70.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$136
$9.93 TND 29.84
-26.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$144
$6.07 TND 18.24
26.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$238
$14.99 TND 45.03
-15.34%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.3
$1.68 TND 5.04
65.48%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.68
$4.44 TND 13.35
-69.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.89
$1.21 TND 3.64
110.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.86
$0.87 TND 2.62
143.68%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.39
$0.96 TND 2.88
102.08%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.41
$0.82 TND 2.46
130.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.53
$0.49 TND 1.48
134.69%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.13
$0.33 TND 0.99
257.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.6
$3.60 TND 10.80
19.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$187
$5.02 TND 15.07
98.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.73
$1.25 TND 3.75
26.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.1
$1.32 TND 3.95
102.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Le Bardo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.39
$0.35 TND 1.06
57.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$500
$9.93 TND 29.83
168.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.3
$0.31 TND 0.94
1503.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.5
$0.29 TND 0.86
1048.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$101
$1.80 TND 5.40
197.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.11
$0.86 TND 2.60
67.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$388.0K
$37.5K TND 112.7K
-44.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$440.5K
$36.9K TND 111.0K
-36.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Le Bardo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,592
$61.7 TND 185
37.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$439
$10.53 TND 31.63
122.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$538
$21.25 TND 63.8
34.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Le Bardo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,071
$41.92 TND 126
36.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$543
$12.27 TND 36.86
135.62%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.5
$5.33 TND 16.01
-3.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Le Bardo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,878
$66.6 TND 200
210.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.7K
$2,831 TND 8,507
38.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Le Bardo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$814
$44.22 TND 133
-1.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$778
$37.59 TND 113
10.24%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,393
$71.9 TND 216
3.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,676
$84.4 TND 253
5.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Le Bardo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
$250 TND 750
292.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,150
$151 TND 454
152.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.1K
$390 TND 1,170
338.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.2K
$256 TND 769
319.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$74.0K
$965 TND 2,898
308.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.6K
$627 TND 1,884
881.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Le Bardo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
$378 TND 1,137
94.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
10.65
7.51%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Le Bardo: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Le Bardo
$151 60.3% $230
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Le Bardo
$198 22.2% $57
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Le Bardo
$84 58.7% $119
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Le Bardo
$94 31.7% $43
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Le Bardo
$107 4.1% $4.6
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Le Bardo
$53 21.9% $15
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Le Bardo
$13 74.1% $37

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $250 in Le Bardo. 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 94% higher in Playa del Carmen. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $21 in Le Bardo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $198 – making Le Bardo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇹🇳 Le Bardo
🕒 Local time
21:40 9:40 PM
03:40 3:40 AM
6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
71,961
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TND, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3 TND (1 TND = 0.333 USD). 1 EUR = 3.35 TND (1 TND = 0.298 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Le Bardo 9,260 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Le Bardo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Le Bardo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Le Bardo cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 72%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,049 in Le Bardo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Le Bardo, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $250 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Le Bardo?
Groceries cost about 29% more in Playa del Carmen, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or in Le Bardo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen and $21 in Le Bardo. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Le Bardo?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Le Bardo, where all-in costs run around $699, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Le Bardo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Le Bardo more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Le Bardo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Le Bardo. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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