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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $664 in Monastir.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,065 in Monastir.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,466 in Monastir.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 91% more expensive than Monastir, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Monastir 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.80 TND 11.10

212.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$23.76 TND 69.3

80.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$5.16 TND 15.05

106.40%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$0.90 TND 2.61

283.33%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.75 TND 2.20

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.31 TND 0.91

206.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.71 TND 4.98

77.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$1.81 TND 5.27

154.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.46 TND 1.34

200.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.16 TND 0.48

1056.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.80 TND 5.27

-10.56%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.50 TND 4.36

72.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$11.99 TND 34.99

-31.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.87 TND 17.14

42.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$13.54 TND 39.49

-21.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.59 TND 4.65

65.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$3.16 TND 9.23

-52.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.93 TND 2.71

106.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.75 TND 2.18

178.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.75 TND 2.19

148.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.59 TND 1.72

283.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.43 TND 1.27

146.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.29 TND 0.84

275.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.42 TND 9.99

21.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$5.01 TND 14.61

107.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.20 TND 3.50

43.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.40 TND 4.09

86.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.39 TND 1.13

38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$11.34 TND 33.09

137.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.32 TND 0.94

878.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.30 TND 0.89

736.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$3.47 TND 10.13

-9.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.84 TND 2.44

51.19%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$40.6K TND 118.4K

-25.16%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$36.4K TND 106.2K

-35.25%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$59.2 TND 173

40.30%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$10.08 TND 29.41

125.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$18.18 TND 53.0

62.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$21.16 TND 61.7

141.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$6.93 TND 20.22

164.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.29 TND 15.42

-6.81%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$106 TND 309

86.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$3,177 TND 9,269

66.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$44.72 TND 130

-17.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$61.8 TND 180

-35.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$111 TND 323

-27.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$83.9 TND 245

6.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$204 TND 596

367.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$134 TND 391

255.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$465 TND 1,356

254.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$283 TND 825

332.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,259 TND 3,672

211.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$632 TND 1,843

922.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$361 TND 1,052

84.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.82%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Monastir: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $204 in Monastir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 85% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $24.00 in Monastir for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $187 per month, with Monastir cheaper across the board.

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 Monastir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monastir is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 85% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $204 in Monastir. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $664 in Monastir – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Monastir runs roughly 138% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $664 in Monastir versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Monastir but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Monastir the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Monastir is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Monastir are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Monastir gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.