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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $659 in Monastir.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,083 in Monastir.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,507 in Monastir.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 95% more expensive than Monastir, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Monastir 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.99 TND 11.52

199.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$23.53 TND 68.0

81.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$4.98 TND 14.38

112.65%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$0.91 TND 2.63

297.80%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.73 TND 2.11

101.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.29 TND 0.83

224.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.72 TND 4.99

79.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.84 TND 5.33

142.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.46 TND 1.33

210.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.15 TND 0.45

1153.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.81 TND 5.24

-9.94%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.49 TND 4.30

77.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$12.16 TND 35.14

-32.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.75 TND 16.62

44.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$13.69 TND 39.58

-18.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.58 TND 4.57

67.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$3.15 TND 9.11

-52.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.96 TND 2.78

107.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.76 TND 2.21

173.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.70 TND 2.03

155.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.58 TND 1.68

275.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.46 TND 1.33

134.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.29 TND 0.83

258.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$3.46 TND 9.99

14.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$5.10 TND 14.74

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.19 TND 3.45

45.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.36 TND 3.92

83.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.38 TND 1.10

36.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$11.17 TND 32.29

141.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.32 TND 0.93

881.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.31 TND 0.89

674.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$3.31 TND 9.55

-6.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.84 TND 2.42

51.19%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$40.0K TND 115.6K

-22.83%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$36.1K TND 104.2K

-35.33%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$57.5 TND 166

42.58%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$10.25 TND 29.62

119.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$18.66 TND 53.9

58.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$20.43 TND 59.0

153.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$6.81 TND 19.70

174.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.55 TND 16.03

-10.45%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$105 TND 305

87.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,182 TND 9,197

65.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$46.15 TND 133

-21.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$60.1 TND 174

-33.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$114 TND 329

-29.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$83.4 TND 241

6.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$207 TND 597

366.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$133 TND 384

249.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$476 TND 1,376

235.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$276 TND 797

338.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,273 TND 3,680

209.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$633 TND 1,828

919.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$357 TND 1,032

101.80%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Monastir: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $207 in Monastir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 102% 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 $251 vs $188 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 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 102% 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $207 in Monastir. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $659 in Monastir – a 95% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Monastir runs roughly 141% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $659 in Monastir versus $1,287 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 95% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.