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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $573 in Mahdia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $873 in Mahdia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,174 in Mahdia, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 119% more than Mahdia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Mahdia are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Mahdia 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$2.47 TND 7.24

385.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$20.41 TND 59.7

104.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.40 TND 9.96

216.18%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$0.78 TND 2.27

348.72%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.57 TND 1.67

154.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.22 TND 0.63

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.00 TND 2.93

195.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.56 TND 4.57

189.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.44 TND 1.27

225.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.20 TND 0.57

820.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.56 TND 4.56

0.64%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.60 TND 4.68

56.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$11.46 TND 33.52

-27.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.62 TND 16.44

50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$13.74 TND 40.19

-22.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.18 TND 6.37

19.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.82 TND 8.26

-48.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.04 TND 3.04

88.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.69 TND 2.02

202.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.70 TND 2.04

164.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.33 TND 0.96

557.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.35 TND 1.03

194.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.31 TND 0.90

245.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.47 TND 10.16

18.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$3.34 TND 9.78

204.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.10 TND 3.21

52.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.10 TND 3.21

130.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.33 TND 0.95

54.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$10.09 TND 29.53

158.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.32 TND 0.95

909.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.24 TND 0.70

904.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$7.25 TND 21.22

-55.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.77 TND 2.25

71.43%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$35.5K TND 103.7K

-16.25%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$34.6K TND 101.2K

-31.57%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$46.47 TND 136

76.48%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$9.40 TND 27.51

144.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$14.59 TND 42.68

106.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$21.16 TND 61.9

145.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$7.61 TND 22.26

143.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.54 TND 13.27

9.69%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$110 TND 320

80.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$997 TND 2,919

434.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$45.44 TND 133

-21.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$34.20 TND 100

17.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$101 TND 295

-21.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$23.50 TND 68.8

278.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$144 TND 422

555.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$133 TND 390

255.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$288 TND 843

470.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$158 TND 462

666.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$672 TND 1,967

503.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$206 TND 602

3042.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$238 TND 696

175.09%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mahdia: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $144 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 175% 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 $20.00 in Mahdia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $180 – 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 119%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $860 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 $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $110 in Mahdia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% 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 $573, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.