Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Mahdia Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Mahdia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $575 in Mahdia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $880 in Mahdia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,185 in Mahdia, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 125% more than Mahdia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Mahdia are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Mahdia 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.59 TND 7.50

352.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$20.57 TND 59.6

102.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.38 TND 9.78

214.79%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$0.71 TND 2.05

395.77%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.57 TND 1.64

164.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.21 TND 0.62

361.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$0.99 TND 2.88

197.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$1.49 TND 4.30

198.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.44 TND 1.27

213.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.18 TND 0.53

950.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.53 TND 4.44

7.19%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.57 TND 4.54

59.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$11.17 TND 32.35

-25.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$5.57 TND 16.13

49.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$13.32 TND 38.58

-19.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.26 TND 6.54

15.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.83 TND 8.19

-48.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.01 TND 2.93

88.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.69 TND 2.01

201.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.66 TND 1.90

169.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.32 TND 0.94

584.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.32 TND 0.94

225.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.31 TND 0.89

248.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.53 TND 10.22

15.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$3.45 TND 10.00

199.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.14 TND 3.31

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.10 TND 3.18

134.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.35 TND 1.02

45.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$10.07 TND 29.17

162.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.30 TND 0.87

986.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.24 TND 0.69

937.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$7.66 TND 22.17

-57.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.81 TND 2.35

61.73%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$35.4K TND 102.6K

-14.53%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$34.7K TND 100.4K

-32.41%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$46.34 TND 134

78.83%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$9.81 TND 28.42

126.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$14.97 TND 43.36

95.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$20.99 TND 60.8

145.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$7.56 TND 21.89

142.33%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$4.60 TND 13.33

10.22%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$109 TND 316

83.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$1,007 TND 2,917

417.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$45.01 TND 130

-17.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$34.01 TND 98.5

17.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$103 TND 298

-23.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$23.42 TND 67.8

271.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$142 TND 410

586.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$134 TND 388

248.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$289 TND 837

467.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$159 TND 461

667.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,030 TND 2,984

283.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$645 TND 1,868

907.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$238 TND 689

178.92%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mahdia: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $142 in Mahdia. 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 179% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Mahdia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $178 – making Mahdia 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 Mahdia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 125%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $863 in Mahdia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $109 in Mahdia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mahdia, where all-in costs run around $575, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Mahdia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mahdia – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mahdia. 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.