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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $735 in Monastir.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,178 in Monastir.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,621 in Monastir.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 72% more expensive than in Monastir, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Monastir 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$4.70 TND 13.66

146.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$22.48 TND 65.4

109.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$6.09 TND 17.73

95.07%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$1.15 TND 3.35

246.09%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$0.81 TND 2.36

76.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.39 TND 1.13

110.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$1.75 TND 5.09

82.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.76 TND 5.11

285.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$0.52 TND 1.50

223.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$0.17 TND 0.49

1194.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.75 TND 5.08

-2.29%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$1.72 TND 5.00

59.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$13.75 TND 40.00

-30.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.20 TND 18.04

45.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$14.88 TND 43.28

-13.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$1.92 TND 5.58

50.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$4.69 TND 13.64

-68.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$1.15 TND 3.35

86.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$0.82 TND 2.40

175.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$0.90 TND 2.63

120.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$0.77 TND 2.23

158.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$0.47 TND 1.36

161.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.34 TND 0.98

252.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$3.67 TND 10.69

23.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$5.04 TND 14.65

105.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$1.20 TND 3.49

35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$1.35 TND 3.93

113.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$0.35 TND 1.02

71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$11.66 TND 33.93

147.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$0.32 TND 0.94

1584.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$0.33 TND 0.97

1030.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$1.81 TND 5.27

218.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$0.84 TND 2.44

83.33%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$39.7K TND 115.6K

-43.23%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$37.1K TND 108.0K

-29.78%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$69.0 TND 201

32.51%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$10.87 TND 31.61

131.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$20.23 TND 58.8

54.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$24.20 TND 70.4

177.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$6.74 TND 19.60

331.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$6.19 TND 18.02

-21.49%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$99.0 TND 288

126.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$3,058 TND 8,897

38.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$49.46 TND 144

-4.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$66.1 TND 192

-32.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$114 TND 331

-29.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$110 TND 321

-15.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$205 TND 597

417.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$122 TND 355

219.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$374 TND 1,087

475.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$240 TND 699

429.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$1,237 TND 3,600

223.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$623 TND 1,812

943.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$356 TND 1,037

112.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.09%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Monastir: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $205 in Monastir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 113% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $22.00 in Monastir for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $213 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 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 113% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $205 in Monastir. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $735 in Monastir – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Monastir runs roughly 147% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $735 in Monastir versus $1,266 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 72% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.