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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $562 in Mahdia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $897 in Mahdia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,232 in Mahdia, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 130% 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 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$2.63 TND 7.61

345.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$20.48 TND 59.2

127.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$4.85 TND 14.01

140.21%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$0.94 TND 2.73

335.11%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.61 TND 1.75

124.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.19 TND 0.55

336.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$1.01 TND 2.93

231.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$1.50 TND 4.33

360.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$0.45 TND 1.29

284.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$0.27 TND 0.77

737.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$1.36 TND 3.94

30.15%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$1.64 TND 4.74

66.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$11.95 TND 34.56

-23.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$5.24 TND 15.16

70.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$14.99 TND 43.33

-15.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$2.84 TND 8.21

6.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$2.94 TND 8.49

-46.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$1.47 TND 4.26

44.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$0.75 TND 2.16

201.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$0.64 TND 1.85

212.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$0.35 TND 1.02

488.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.42 TND 1.20

180.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.32 TND 0.94

275.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$3.60 TND 10.42

28.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$3.52 TND 10.18

203.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$1.59 TND 4.59

1.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$1.30 TND 3.75

121.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.33 TND 0.94

72.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$13.45 TND 38.90

121.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$0.32 TND 0.93

1603.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.28 TND 0.81

1221.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$0.90 TND 2.60

72.22%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$40.8K TND 118.0K

-45.31%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$41.4K TND 119.6K

-37.26%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$56.6 TND 164

57.42%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$7.52 TND 21.74

232.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$20.75 TND 60.0

51.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$21.02 TND 60.8

222.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$7.52 TND 21.75

284.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$7.02 TND 20.29

-28.06%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$111 TND 320

103.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$1,027 TND 2,968

311.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$40.31 TND 117

17.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$34.83 TND 101

29.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$79.2 TND 229

3.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$24.10 TND 69.7

282.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$130 TND 376

722.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$102 TND 295

297.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$300 TND 867

545.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$177 TND 512

634.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$676 TND 1,953

491.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$203 TND 586

3171.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$236 TND 682

217.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.33

10.84%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Mahdia: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $130 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 217% 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 $20.00 in Mahdia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $193 – 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 130%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $843 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 $225 per month in Playa del Carmen and $111 in Mahdia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% 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 $562, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.